05/17/2018 ISSUE 20

Two oceanfront homes to be
auctioned in June. P8
Quail Valley show
revs up car buffs. P22

July 1 still target date for
signed pact with Cleveland Clinic. P4

For breaking news visit

MY VERO Drlaerwcuayglelrdsjoubcrtiodorrts’os

BY RAY MCNULTY BY BETH WALTON
Staff Writer
Nobody wants to see
Vero stop being Vero Lawyers for Johnny Benja-

Let’s get this nonsense out min, the former Vero Beach
of the way now: Nobody wants
to dis-incorporate the city. spine surgeon facing life in

Nobody wants to see our prison on federal drug charg-
building-height restrictions
and low-density zoning re- es, clashed with prosecutors
pealed. Nobody wants to see
our seaside slice of heaven last week over a defense bid to
lose its Rockwellian charm.
Nobody here wants to see bring the jurors who convicted
Vero to stop being Vero.
the island resident back for the
And that includes the mem-
bers of our City Council. court room for questioning.

So don’t fall for the idea Donnie Murrell, the lead
that merely exploring ways
to more efficiently and cost West Palm Beach trial attorney
effectively provide municipal
services will somehow destroy on Benjamin’s case, asked the
the city and turn Vero Beach
into Fort Lauderdale. judge May 1 to recall the jury.

That’s not going to happen, Benjamin was convicted and
even if a private company
leases and manages the city jurors discharged April 27.
marina, or Waste Manage-
ment picks up your trash, or After the panel was excused,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Sunrise dumps man who brought big-time talent to theatre aclerkfoundadocumententi-
tled “Here are 30 do’s and don’ts
Tipster says Burkeen’s of jury deliberations,” Murrell
co-workers knew the wrote the court. While the list
boss was stealing tires
BY MICHELLE GENZ Fort Pierce’s city manager. An ment is expected to take sev- itself isn’t clearly prejudicial, its
BY BETH WALTON Staff Writer interim director has been ap- eral months. The city intends presence is proof that at least
Staff Writer
pointed – Sharon Engle, Wil- to hold a public workshop in one juror ignored the court’s
The day after retired As-
sistant Fire Chief Brian Bur- When the City of Fort Pierce kes’ assistant at Sunrise, while June to see what people “de- instructions and conducted
keen was arrested for an al-
leged black-market tire sales took over the historic Sunrise a search for Wilkes’ replace- CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
scheme, Indian River County
Commissioner Tim Zorc got Theatre after a donor-funded
an anonymous tip.
$11 million renovation, offi- Sheriff seeks extra funds to cover
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 cials apparently didn’t under- cost of a lawman for every school

stand what the president of
the board during that decade-

long renovation, Vero attorney BY RAY MCNULTY
Michael Horowitz, says he al- Staff Writer
ready knew:

“Theatres never make mon- Sheriff Deryl Loar is asking for extra money

ey, never,” Horowitz says. in his 2018-19 budget to hire up to 15 new

Now, the man Horowitz deputies to meet the state’s requirement that

hired to bring big-city talent a law-enforcement officer be assigned to ev-

to the small-town theatre, CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 Deputy Teddy Floyd greets students at Wabasso School.

John Wilkes, has been let go by

May 17, 2018 Volume 11, Issue 20 Newsstand Price $1.00 Tracey Zudans is 2018
winner of ‘Dancing
News 1-10 Faith 49 Pets 61 TO ADVERTISE CALL with Vero’s Stars.’ P12
Arts 25-30 Games 41-43 Real Estate 63-72 772-559-4187
Books 40 Health 45-48 St. Ed’s 60
Dining 54 Insight 31-44 Style 50-53 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 38 People 11-24 Wine 55 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2018 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Sunrise Theatre major musical stars to Fort Pierce – keeping with that clout – a report- most of its existence, was the largest
Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, Diana ed $128,000. Whether that number, between Jacksonville and Miami. It
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Ross, Johnny Mathis, B.B. King, Gladys which was high for a Fort Pierce city closed in 1983 as the Fort Pierce down-
Knight and the Moody Blues – along employee, played a role in his firing town deteriorated.
sire for the future of the Sunrise The- with top comedians Jackie Mason, is not clear. But the fact that he was
atre.” Sinbad, Jay Leno, and John Cleese and never able to make the theatre self- In 1988, the local Main Street or-
Eric Idle of Monty Python fame, who sustaining appears to be at the root of ganization began to look seriously at
Wilkes, 65, had been chief operat- performed in 2015. the city’s discontent. renovating. Eleven million dollars lat-
ing officer of West Palm’s Kravis Cen- er, the project was completed in 2006,
ter and executive director of Sarasota’s Comedian Ron White delivered the Losses at the theatre climbed steadi- and the city assumed both ownership
Van Wezel Hall before joining the Sun- Sunrise national press when he got ly in recent years to $1.6 million in and management.
rise in 2008. An Ontario native who himself arrested in Vero on one visit – 2017. Despite the losses, City Manager
once handled booking for Toronto’s and was three hours late to his show. Nick Mimms said in a press release Now, at least one Vero-based inves-
10,000-seat arena, Wilkes had devel- And yes, Bill Cosby played Fort Pierce that shows booked for the 2018-2019 tor in downtown Fort Pierce proper-
oped countless personal connections multiple times; Wilkes considered him season “will proceed as normal.” ties, Hans Kraaz, must be following
from his long career. a friend. the Sunrise debate closely. Over the
Built in 1923 for vaudeville acts, past two decades, Kraaz is said to have
That opened doors for him to bring Wilkes commanded a salary in the theatre, which showed movies for invested heavily in the Fort Pierce
downtown. He is partners in Sailfish
Brewing Co., which a year ago greatly
expanded by moving into the former
J.C. Penney building. Kraaz’s company
developed an office building on Sec-
ond Street. He also reportedly wants to
develop land he has purchased behind
the P.T. Cobb building.

In addition, the Vero Beach team
of developer Keith Kite and contrac-
tor Don Proctor are awaiting the Fort
Pierce City Commission’s decision
May 21 on their proposed hotel proj-
ect on the site of the old Fort Pierce
power plant.

And hundreds of Vero residents
who rely on the theatre for national
live music and comedy acts could be
looking at a much longer drive to such
events – to Melbourne or West Palm.
In years past, a fifth of the Sunrise
audience came Indian River County,
with around 500 patrons a year com-
ing from Vero’s barrier island.

Fort Pierce officials have called for
the public to voice concerns or sup-
port for the Sunrise in an online sur-
vey and the June workshop.

That invitation for comment is
causing Horowitz concern. “If the city
manager says they’re going to have a
public forum to discuss the future of
the Sunrise, that says to me they’re not
sure whether there is a future for the
Sunrise,” he said.

To Horowitz, closing the theater would
mean “the city is failing its citizens.”

“I hope to God it doesn’t happen,” he
went on. “I think if that happens, the
city is making a huge, huge mistake.”

It would be hard to overstate the
draw the Sunrise has been to Fort
Pierce’s quaint downtown. On eve-
nings of a performance in the 1,200-
seat, century-old theatre, the streets
surrounding it, which stretch east
from U.S. 1 down to a long waterfront
park, fill with patrons arriving early to
dine, have a drink at outdoor cafes, or
stroll along the edges of the recently
expanded and upgraded marina.

Even on jazz or comedy nights in the
Sunrise’s more intimate Black Box the-
atre, the ripple effect of those 200 or so
patrons noticeably enlivens the scene.

Prior to the theatre’s 2006 reopening

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 3

NEWS

– and the extensive downtown reha- tions will be hard to replicate in a new Pierce’s very active Main Street organi- urrection, when Wilkes drove “on his
bilitation that followed – professionals director. “He has brought in some top- zation. Tillman said Wilkes expects to own nickel” from Sarasota to help with
like Horowitz, who had his law office name shows. It’s going to be hard to continue consulting for theatres. the theatre’s planning.
next door to the Sunrise, didn’t stay replace him because he’s so well con-
downtown after dark, he said. “Now nected in the industry.” “John is such a gentleman. He has Once he was formally hired, he be-
it’s incredibly vibrant.” said very nice things about wanting to came an ambassador for theatre, in-
Wilkes, who received six months of continue to work with the Sunrise and troducing himself by bringing candy
Horowitz said fundraising grew severance pay, was apparently not fore- support it.” to all the shop owners.
more difficult after the city took over. warned of the termination. “He was a
“It’s not so easy to have a city-run little caught off guard by it,” said Do- Tillman, who for years ran an office “I remember seeing him out there at
building and ask people to donate ris Tillman, the longtime leader of Fort supply store in downtown Vero, was one in the morning planting flowers in
their money,” he said. in at the very start of the Sunrise res-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
“I think the city is failing to under-
stand that there are no theatres that Exclusively John’s Island
are profitable. It just doesn’t exist,”
said Horowitz. “Theatres are part of Sited on a desirable 1± acre lot is this beautifully renovated 4BR
the community. It’s no different from soundfront home with 157’± of water frontage, pristine landscaping,
having a baseball stadium or a park. pool and private JI Sound views. Offering 6,607± GSF, it impresses
If you want to have the arts, you have with a grand foyer and living room, marble floors, custom finishes,
to understand that there’s a financial retractable screens and a covered porch w/ summer kitchen. Additional
commitment to that.” features include an island kitchen adjoining the family room w/ fireplace,
luxurious master suite, gardener’s room, two garages and a boat dock.
Music producer Darryl Bey, who 320 Coconut Palm Road : $4,300,000
regularly brings national and regional
blues, Latin jazz and R&B acts to Sun- three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
rise’s Black Box theatre, believes there health & fitness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equity membership
is little support for such cultural offer-
ings among city officials. 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com

“The city has turned its back on the
theater,” said Bey. “It supports it finan-
cially, but I don’t believe they support
it emotionally and morally. You can’t
just throw money at it, you’ve got to go
to shows and encourage friends to go.
And not ask for free tickets.”

Still, the theatre’s viability depends
on other factors as well. “No, I am not
getting the audience” needed at Sun-
rise, Bey admitted.

“One of the things you have to con-
sider is that nationally, live entertain-
ment is having difficult times. With the
advent of smartphones, you can pull
up iTunes and Apple Music and liter-
ally go and get music free. People are
also afraid to go out and drink because
of DUIs. And a lot of it is ticket prices.”

While the Black Box seats are typi-
cally around $25, prime seats for acts
on the Sunrise main stage can top $100.

Bey did not dismiss the notion that
the Sunrise could close. “I don’t know
what’s going to happen. In my mind, it
could go either way.

“The theatre has lost money since it
opened,” he said. “The city went into
it knowing they were going to have to
subsidize the theater. Ideally, the sub-
sidy should have gotten less and less.
That didn’t happen – public theatres
never make money. But they do drive
business to downtown restaurants
and stores.”

He said the Sunrise brings an esti-
mated 75,000 people a year to Fort
Pierce’s downtown, from as far away
as Orlando.

“The Sunrise is a very important
structure downtown. It is the reason
development has moved ahead down-
town. It’s a huge asset for the city, and
it’s critical that they bring in a strong
director to make sure it survives.”

Bey said Wilkes’ lifelong connec-

4 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Sunrise Theatre The photo has been on Tillman’s Horowitz and his board wanted expert pecially at the salary the city wants to
bulletin board ever since. consultation on the theatre’s renova- pay. John was paid higher than most
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 tion and Wilkes served as consultant city employees, but I think they were
When Wilkes went into the hospital for a couple of years. shortsighted in making the decision
front of the Sunrise,” she said. midway through his tenure, Bill Cosby [to let him go.]”
Tillman and her team of Sunrise dropped in to visit him, Tillman says. When the theatre was finally ready
The kindness was no doubt recipro- to open in 2006, another director was Wilkes has taken pains to part with
volunteers wanted to welcome Wil- cated. hired. “At the end of the year, we were no ill will from the city.
kes with a gift. They got their inspira- $1.3 million in debt,” recalls Horow-
tion when the Sunrise finally bought “That’s the kind of person John is, itz. “[The first director] booked great Last Monday, he appeared at a city
a new curtain for the stage. and he’s very good to anyone he works shows but he overextended himself.” commission meeting just to thank
with. I’m sure the stars were well taken commissioners for their support.
“We took some of the old curtain care of.” It was then the board brought Wil- “Typical John,” says Horowitz. “He has
and had them made into a pair of kes back on a full-time basis. such integrity. He’s an amazing, amaz-
shorts,” she said. Wilkes immediately Horowitz says Wilkes will be diffi- ing person.”
tried them on – burgundy velvet, with cult to replace. It was he who tracked “Trust me, I interviewed a lot of
gold fringe sewn along the hem – and Wilkes down in 1999 based on a rec- people from that industry. It’s hard to Wilkes also returned the velvet
gamely posed for a picture. ommendation from the manager of find people that are really, really good. shorts. He told Tillman, “You can give
Palm Beach’s Royal Poinciana Theater. They’re not that easy to come by, es- them to the next guy.” 

Cleveland Clinic a finalist to acquire Boca Raton hospital

BY MICHELLE GENZ in earnest in June 2017, a month af- Indian River Medical Center in Vero dorfer said the transaction is “mov-
Staff Writer ter CEO Jerry Fidele announced he as its northernmost presence. ing along well.”
intended to retire in August 2018.
Cleveland Clinic Florida has made Earlier this month, Fidele, widely Negotiations between Cleveland “I believe in the next few weeks
it into the final round of health sys- respected for having turned the Clinic and Indian River are in the fi- we will have both the definitive
tems being considered by Boca Ra- hospital around 18 months into his nal stages, and advisor Jamie Burg- agreement and the amended lease
ton Regional Hospital. 10-year tenure, announced he is to review with the Boards,” agreed
postponing his retirement by a year District chairwoman Marybeth Cun-
From a field of five announced in to ease the hospital’s transition to ningham. “IRMC, the District and
March, Boca Regional leaders have new ownership. Cleveland Clinic Florida are still tar-
narrowed the field to two: Cleveland geting to have an agreement signed
Clinic and Baptist Health South Should Cleveland win out over Bap- by July 1, although some things have
Florida. Orlando Health, a one-time tist, the addition of the 400-bed Boca taken longer than anticipated.”
suitor of Indian River Medical Cen- hospital would provide a geographic
ter, did not make the cut. lynchpin for a proposed South Flori- Cleveland is also in partnering
da-based system that appears to have talks with Martin Health, which has
Boca’s search for a partner began hospitals in Stuart and Tradition. 

My Vero cil’s May 1 meeting, where both propo- provides its services and explore alter- contribute to the city’s general fund.
nents and opponents of change made natives for delivering them more effi- “All I did was put it on the agenda, and
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 their cases, a majority of the panel has ciently and more cost-effectively?
expressed a willingness to join him in you saw what happened,” Zudans said,
the county takes over your water and exploring the city’s options. Do they really believe that privatiz- referring to an email blast sent by the
sewage-treatment systems. ing trash pickup and letting the county Indian River Neighborhood Association
City Manager Jim O’Connor said he handle their sewage treatment service to its members and the news media.
Vero will still be Vero. expects this council – more than any will break the city and result in a wall
It might be even better, especially in recent years – to look at privatizing of high-rise condos on the beach or “I didn’t propose doing anything
if the City Council can put together some services or forming partnerships some other dreadful outcome? but explore alternatives and gather
deals that result in residents getting to provide them. information,” he added. “Somehow,
improved services at a lower price, Or might it be something else? they turned that into an effort to dis-
which is what we expect from the im- He said Zudans, Mayor Harry Howle “Every person who spoke out against incorporate the city of Vero Beach.”
pending sale of city’s electric utility to and Vice Mayor Lange Sykes were “on exploring our options also opposed the
Florida Power & Light. the same page,” and that he thinks sale of the electric system,” Zudans said As for the IRNA concocting a con-
Certainly, there’s no harm in finding out. Laura Moss and Tony Young are open of the May 1 council meeting. “The best nection between the council’s willing-
“It’s our job to get the best possible to exploring alternatives. I can figure it: They’re worried we’re go- ness to investigate the city’s service
deal for the taxpayers,” Councilman Val ing to find out that these alternatives options and the elimination of local
Zudans said. “So I want to examine what “If ever there was a real opportunity are much better than what we’re doing, building-height restrictions and low-
we’re doing, look at what other cities are to look at our options and possibly see and they have a fear of change. density zoning, Howle said, “I’m not
doing and explore options to see if we’re a better path, this is it,” Howle said. “The thing is – and this is a point I sure how they got to that.”
getting the best services at the best price. “This is Vero’s youngest City Council in wish I had made – they don’t represent
“If we find that we’re doing a great a long time, maybe ever, so now is the the majority of people in Vero Beach.” He then pointed out that, according
job and there’s no reason to change time. This is our chance. They are vocal, however. And orga- to the city charter, the City Council may
anything, I’m fine with that,” he add- nized. And engaged. not increase the height restrictions or
ed. “It doesn’t have to be all one way or “If we don’t get answers to these They want Vero Beach to be what it density levels unless the increase is ap-
the other, but let’s at least look at the questions now, it might not happen was 20 years ago, and they use their proved by voters in a referendum.
alternatives.” again for a very long time, because the political clout to oppose anyone and
That’s going to happen. makeup of the council could change.” anything that threatens the status quo, “It’s a non-starter,” Howle said.
While it was Zudans who put the is- particularly when the proposed chang- For the record: Moss said that she’s
sue on the agenda for the City Coun- There are some folks, though, who es involve services they believe are as- open to exploring options and that
don’t want the questions asked – sets needed to generate revenues that she agrees now is the time to do it,
which makes no sense whatsoever. though she’s more apt to consider
privatizing trash pickup and leas-
Why wouldn’t they want their elect- ing the marina than turning over the
ed officials to review the way the city

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 5

NEWS

city’s water-sewer utility to the county. re-examine other facets of the city,” money,” she continued. “If all you many have said, ‘Vero is what Boca
She said she would be “hesitant” to Moss said. “If we’re able to do things worry about is money, you can sell Raton was 30 years ago.’ We should
more efficiently and at a lower cost your soul . ... So we need to be careful. consider that a warning,” she added.
turn services over to the county be- to the taxpayers – and do it without Whatever outside entities we deal with, “Once you go too far, you can’t go back.
cause she has heard “so many com- changing the character of our charm- they need to be very Vero-friendly. Once you’ve paved paradise, it’s gone.
plaints” from customers. ing city – we should look at it.
“I hear from people who’ve recently “We need to preserve this.”
“Now that the electric sale is well on “But it can’t be strictly about the moved here, and I can’t tell you how Yes, we do. And we will. 
its way to being done, we have time to

6 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Burkeen’s co-workers single day, hauling away trailer-loads of arrest show a governmental body the Clerk of Court to review expenses
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 new tires, which he stored at a barn on frantically trying to recover its loss and associated with the construction and
his property in Fellsmere. understand how hundreds of thou- outfitting of Fire Station Number 14.
While the community at-large might sands of dollars in suspect purchases
have been shocked to see Burkeen’s Police say he sold the tires to people he escaped scrutiny for so long. “Final invoices and retainage have
alleged fall from grace, those who knew and advertised them on Facebook. not been paid to the contractor,”
worked alongside him knew what their Burkeen was arrested March 26 and Smykowski said April 2. “Please note
boss was up to, but were too afraid to The validity of the tipster’s claims later charged with grand theft. Just that Mr. Brian Burkeen was the coun-
report him, the informant said. that other county workers knew what before 5 p.m. the day of the arrest, Re- ty’s representative assigned on the Sta-
Burkeen was doing is still unknown, ingold wrote commissioners with the tion #14 project.”
“There was a very real fear of retri- County Attorney Dylan Reingold said news. “Please find attached the infor-
bution among the firefighters, so no last week. A part of the county’s ongo- mation that was provided today by the The county is disputing some charg-
one turned Burkeen in, though it was ing investigation includes interviews Sheriff,” he said in an e-mail which es from Goodyear, has filed a theft
pretty widely known what he was do- with Fire and Rescue staff to under- included the 8-page arrest warrant de- claim with its insurance carrier and is
ing,” the message states, according stand the circumstances of the theft. tailing Burkeen’s alleged offenses. seeking restitution, possibly from Bur-
to e-mails obtained by Vero Beach keen’s retirement account.
32963. “[The] County might want to “As soon as Chief (John) King be- The tipster’s note was forwarded to
institute some sort of anonymous tip came aware of the possible wrongdo- Zorc the following morning, at 9:02 “It is my understanding that, as of
line for waste and theft,” it said. ing, a report was filed with the Sheriff’s a.m. on March 27. today, Mr. Burkeen has not taken a
Office requesting an investigation,” distribution from his (retirement) ac-
Burkeen, 55, a longtime county official County Administrator Jason Brown That same day, Fire Chief John King count and it is our hope that a hold on
who also briefly served on the Sebastian said. “My hope would be that any em- was asked to provide a written over- any distribution could be placed on Mr.
City Council, was purchasing new tires ployee would report any wrongdoing view of the purchasing procedure for Burkeen’s account due to the severity of
at Goodyear stores using county funds that they are aware of in the future. Emergency Services. Internal audi- the allegations ... and the financial im-
and then selling them to private buyers tors wanted to know: How was the tire pact to Indian River County in excess of
he met at work and online, police say. “The county’s handling of this situa- budget established each year and who $288K,” Boyll wrote the State Board of
tion should provide comfort that man- was involved? Who authorized invoic- Administration April 3 as part of a chain
Investigators were able to document agement will take positive steps to es and who reviewed the books? of e-mails titled “Possible legal block.”
some $288,250 in questionable tire pur- investigate and stop any such wrong-
chases billed by Burkeen to the county doing. We take our responsibility as “It would be helpful if you could As officials struggled to understand
between June 26, 2014, and Feb. 8, 2018, custodians of the taxpayers’ dollars provide the information this week,” their next steps, explanations given to
the day prior to the assistant chief’s re- very seriously.” Suzanne Boyll, director of Human Re- the taxpayers were sparse.
tirement. It is alleged he sometimes sources, wrote to King.
made multiple trips to the tire store in a Though public details about the in- “Stick to the original statement,” Re-
ternal investigation have been scant, Officials also began inquiring about ingold advised Brown the day before a
communication between county offi- Burkeen’s other financial dealings. Bud- joint press conference with the Sheriff.
cials in the days that follow Burkeen’s get Director Michael Smykowski asked “If asked about what the county is do-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 7

NEWS

ing, say that now that the police inves- 8, Assistant United States Attorney John If such protections didn’t exist, ver- overdose death of a 34-year-old Palm
tigation is complete we will review the McMillan argued forcefully against re- dicts would become a “‘constant sub- Beach woman. He was found not guilty
work conducted by the Sheriff’s Office calling and questioning the jury. ject of public investigation’ jeopar- on two firearms-related charges. He re-
and conduct our own investigation dizing the ‘frankness and freedom of mains in federal custody and is sched-
into the matter.” Federal rules of evidence bar juror discussion’ required for jury delibera- uled for sentencing in July.
testimony expect in very limited cir- tions,” the prosecutor said, citing case
Burkeen faces up to 30 years in cumstances, he said. Such questioning law. The jury system itself might not be His lawyers have declined to say if they
prison if convicted of the charges is only allowed if a mistake was made able to withstand such scrutiny. will appeal the case. “We’re obviously
against him.  on the verdict form; if there was inap- happy with the two not guilty verdicts,”
propriate outside influence; or if extra- Benjamin, 52, was convicted on five Defense Attorney Andrew Metcalf said
Drug doctor’s lawyers neous prejudicial information was im- of the seven felony counts against him after the trial. “We’re disappointed with
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 properly brought to the jury’s attention. at the federal courthouse in Fort Lau- the verdict on the remaining counts.”
derdale last month.
their own outside research. He argued the found documents It was terribly sad hearing testimony
“The concern, of course, is what is only effect was to encourage “jurors to The case hinged on the testimony from the deceased woman’s friends and
take their obligations seriously and to from Kevan Slater and Zachary Stew- family, said juror Shane Kelly, 26, as he
unknown here,” Murrell stated. “What decide the question of guilt based only art, two DEA informants whom prose- walked out of the courthouse alongside
other materials, if any, were brought on the evidence.” cutors said sold prescription and coun- another member of the panel. Benja-
into the jury room? If other mate- terfeit pain pills provided by Benjamin min’s secretly recorded reference to the
rial was introduced, how many jurors Even the defense has stipulated this on the street for cash. They also helped victim as just another “page in a large
were exposed to it? Did it have an im- information is not prejudicial, McMil- with a scheme to build the former sur- stack” of drug-related mishaps was
pact on their deliberations and/or the lian said. geon’s inventory of illegal pills by using heartbreaking, he said.
ultimate verdict? Unfortunately, the additional people to get illicit prescrip-
only way to determine the answers A defendant alleging denial of his tions filled at pharmacies as the drug- “I wouldn’t want him to be my doctor.
to these questions is to summon the right to trial by an impartial jury has the selling operation spread throughout I wouldn’t want him to be my neighbor.”
jurors back to the courthouse and ask burden of proving such an event took the Treasure Coast.
them.” place, the prosecutor explained. This The Florida Department of Health is-
needs to be more than speculation. Both men plead guilty and testified sued an emergency suspension of Ben-
United States District Judge William for the prosecution at Benjamin’s trial. jamin’s medical license May 3.
P. Dimitrouleas deferred ruling on the The trial by jury system was not set They are set to be sentenced in May.
issue and asked federal prosecutors to up for jurors and their decisions to be This case shows the U.S. government’s
respond. constantly scrutinized, said McMillian. Benjamin faces 20 years to life in commitment to ending the opioid crisis,
The Supreme Court has upheld protec- prison after being found guilty of ille- prosecutor McMillian said after the trial.
In an 8-page response filed on May tions to keep jurors from being harassed gal drug distribution and conspiracy
“by the defeated party in an effort to se- to possess and distribute the fentanyl- “The jury’s verdict after listening to
cure from them evidence of facts which laced painkiller which caused the 2016 the evidence clearly expresses their
might establish misconduct.” outrage with the conduct of a medical
professional who abused his gift.” 

8 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Two oceanfront homes to be auctioned off in June

BY STEVEN M. THOMAS tion in 2012 in accordance with Flori- “We have been on the market, on and ocean frontage – is worth $2.5 million.”
Staff Writer da’s updated building codes. off, for eight months,” Daley says. “We The 5,560-square-foot home on Ho-
have had offers and been under con-
Concierge Auctions, which has be- The 6-bedroom, 6-bath, 6,732-square- tract but the deals have fallen through. loma Drive, built in 1981, includes four
come a regular player in Vero’s luxury foot home sits on a 0.6-acre lot with 100 The sellers knew about Concierge sell- bedrooms, four and a half baths and a
real estate market, is getting ready to sell linear feet of ocean frontage on a healthy, ing other oceanfront properties here four-bay garage. There is a media room,
two more oceanfront homes on the is- accreting beach. There is a resort-style and decided they wanted to auction an elevator, an oceanfront terrace, a
land in June. The sales will come on top swimming pool overlooking the Atlantic their house. They made a business de- swimming pool and hardwood floors.
of six Concierge auctions here in 2017. surrounded by a Hamptons-like mani- cision to achieve the certainty of a sale
cured lawn perfect for croquet or bad- by a set date. It was simple as that. Concierge business development
One home, currently listed at $6.7 minton. manager Katie Lawless says anyone
million by Sally Daley & Company Real “This is the first time I have worked who wants to bid on one or both of
Estate, is located at 1804 Ocean Drive Custom millwork, marble and walnut with Concierge and I am very impressed properties can register online at the
in Old Riomar. The other, at 908 Holo- floors, vaulted ceilings, a chef’s kitchen, with their business model. They value the auction company’s website.
ma, behind the Village Shops in Indian deluxe bathrooms, ocean views from role of the local agent and want me to be
River Shores, is listed with Premier Es- every room and a private guest cottage involved as an advocate for the house.” “All the information and due-dili-
tate Properties broker associate Cindy are additional features. gence documents are available on the
O’Dare for $2.3 million. O’Dare say’s her clients went through property pages,” she says.
“The location is really the best fea- a similar process to arrive at the deci-
Both homes will be sold at no-reserve ture,” says Daley. “There are only about sion to sell their home at auction. Concierge and the listing agents will
online auctions. Bidding will begin at 4 15 oceanfront lots in Old Riomar and be holding open houses at the properties
p.m. on June 12 and continue through this is one of them. You get the ambi- “The house was first listed in Sep- from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week,
June 15, to accommodate bidders in ance of a classic neighborhood com- tember, about eight months ago, at a between now and the auction date.
other time zones and countries. Bid- bined with modern construction that fairly high price. We had lots of inter-
ders are required to put up a refundable is up to code on a wide, beautiful, ac- est but no offers and tried reducing The listing agents will receive a typi-
$100,000 deposit and show proof of creting beach.” the price a couple of times. When there cal brokerage fee when the sales close
funds sufficient to close if they are the were still no offers, the sellers made a and Concierge is offering a 2.5 percent
high bidder. Some recent Concierge auctions have business decision to contact Concierge commission to outside agents who
resulted in sales well below prior list and do an auction. bring a successful buyer. Buyers will
The Riomar house is a beautiful ex- prices, but Daley says the owners of the pay a 12 percent premium, or mini-
ample of the British West Indies-style, Ocean Drive home want to go the auc- “The sale represents a tremendous mum of $175K, on top of their winning
solidly built on pilings at a high eleva- tion route to achieve a sale “by a date opportunity for the right buyer. The land bid price, to compensate the auction
certain.” alone – more than an acre with 150 feet of company and agents for marketing
costs and services. 

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
PLAYS FAST AND LOOSE IN
PRESENTING REPORT CARD

It’s Time For A Fresh BY KATHLEEN SLOAN ployee insurance premiums to make
Perspective With New Ideas. Staff Writer up for a $7 million deficit in the health
insurance fund, which he also oversaw.
Secure Our Campuses  Retain Our Teachers Superintendent Mark Rendell tried
Scrutinize Superintendent’s Performance to make the case that things are going Rendell said the district has given
great in the School District to the In- raises the last three years to teachers,
Enforce the Discipline Policy  Expand S.T.E.M. Programs dian River Taxpayers Association lun- resulting in a nearly $48,000 average
Improve Exceptional Student Education cheon last week, and some of his claims teacher salary, which matches the state
Decrease the Amount of Testing played fast and loose with the facts. average. He added that Indian River’s
average beats out surrounding counties.
H: (772) 794-1327 I C: (786) 512-7017 The guest speaker reported the
www.randyheimler.com School District was named “best place COMMENTARY
to work” in Indian River County last
Paid for by Randy Heimler for School Board District 4 year, which is something he might But teachers union President Liz
well be proud of, and claimed the hon- Cannon challenges his claim. While
or was based on results of employee the $48,000 figure is correct, she points
surveys. In reality, CareerSource based out the “raise” was actually compen-
the award on a single survey complet- sation for more hours worked, and
ed by an administrator. notes the dramatic increase in health
insurance premiums reduced teacher
The questionnaire was filled out by take-home pay to fourth place among
then-Assistant Superintendent Wil- the five counties.
liam Fritz, whose contract was not
renewed. As head of the Human Re- Rendell said teacher turnover in the
sources Department, Fritz negotiated district was about 15 percent last year,
union contracts that ended in impass-
es last year, imposing big hikes in em- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 9

NEWS

Sheriff seeks funds for schools tions, all of which are expected to be
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 filled by current deputies.

ery public school. The new hires Loar is hoping for
In the wake of the Valentine’s Day would then fill the vacancies created by
the deputies transferring to the schools.
mass shooting at Stoneman Doug-
las High School in Parkland, Gov. “Getting the new SROs isn’t a prob-
Rick Scott signed into law a bill that lem,” Flowers said. “We were going to
mandated the beefed-up security on add two new SROs next year, anyway,
school campuses. and we have people who want to do
those jobs. We just need to provide
To meet that demand, Loar was them with the additional training, so
forced to temporarily reassign depu- they’re ready to go when classes begin
ties to the School Resource Officer next school year.
program for the remainder of the
soon-to-end academic year – changes “Then, though, we have to fill the
he said put a strain on the agency’s positions they’re leaving, and that’s
staffing and budget, since the School not a simple or quick process,” he
District covers only about half the cost continued. “It takes time to get some-
of the additional manpower. body prepared for road patrol. You
don’t just take someone fresh out of
“It’s definitely been a challenge the academy and put them on the
since March,” Sheriff’s Maj. Eric Flow- road. They have to go through field
ers said. “We didn’t want to reduce our training, too.
presence on the road, so we didn’t re-
assign anybody from our road patrol “Plus, as in any law-enforcement
division. But it has impacted some of agency, there’s always attrition,” he
our specialty deputies.” added. “You always have to replace
people. So we’ll go full-throttle on hir-
Flowers said deputies from other ing. But it’s going to take a while to
units – crime prevention, agriculture, have all the people we need to cover
marine and traffic, as well as back- all the bases.”
ground investigators – were temporar-
ily reassigned to schools. It’s also going to take money.
Loar submitted his budget request
The Sheriff’s Office had one ser- to the county on May 1. County com-
geant and 11 deputies assigned as missioners will conduct budget hear-
SROs before the massacre in Park- ings in July and render a decision in
land, where a former student killed 17 September.
people and injured 17 others. Now, the Under the new law, the Florida Leg-
agency has assigned one lieutenant, islature will provide more than $100
two sergeants and 25 deputies to local million to school districts around the
schools. state for additional SROs.
According to Carter Morrision, the
In addition, the Vero Beach and Se- county’s assistant schools superin-
bastian police departments each pro- tendent for finance, the Indian River
vide three SROs, including one at St. County School District will receive
Helen’s School. from the state just over $1 million to
help fund the additional SROs here for
Flowers said private schools cov- the 2018-19 academic year.
er 100 percent of the cost of their Of that amount, however, the dis-
SROs. trict must give nearly $150,000 to the
local charter schools, leaving about
The new security measures put $935,000 to cover the rest of the coun-
SROs in all 16 public elementary ty schools – and Morrison projects a
schools, the Technical Center for Ca- shortfall.
reer and Adult Education, and the In fact, the district will be confront-
Wabasso School, as well as in the ed with a deficit this year, too.
middle and high schools. Morrison said the Sheriff’s Office has
charged the district nearly $530,000
“Before Parkland, we had SROs at for police services in the schools but,
all the secondary schools – the middle after deducting the charter schools’
schools and the high schools, exclud- share of prior state-provided funding,
ing the charter school,” Flowers said. the district has less than $370,000 to
“Now, we’re at every school in the pay its SRO bill.
county. “The difference will have to be
made up with local funds,” Morrison
“When the mandate came down said, referring to tax revenues.
from Tallahassee, we had to do some- Even after the district pays its share,
thing to get through the 40-some- at least half of the costs of putting
thing days of school that remained SROs in local schools will continue to
this year,” he added. “Somehow, we’ve come out of the sheriff’s budget.
made it work.” “The state funding goes directly to
the school districts, but that pays for
Flowers said the Sheriff’s Office is only a portion of it,” Flowers said, “so
planning to have full-time SROs on ev- it almost an unfunded mandate.” 
ery campus, including two each at the
high schools, when the new academic
year begins in August.

The agency already has in-house job
postings for the additional SRO posi-

10 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS sessment ranking. In English Language
Arts, the district had just a 52 percent
School Superintendent Superintendent Mark Rendell pass rate last year, ranking 32nd among
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 the 67 school districts in the state. In
math, the district only managed a 53
claiming that percentage matches percent pass rate, ranking 44th among
the national average. But Vero Beach 67 Florida school districts.
32963 has found that nearly 200
teachers out of 1,120 left the district And even those numbers come with
last year, which amounts to 18 percent an asterisk, because they include re-
turnover. sults from the charter schools, which
Rendell does not directly oversee and
Rendell told the group the high which outperform the traditional
school graduation rate is “the best schools he supervises, boosting the
measure of success” for a district, and district’s pass rate.
reported that Indian River’s rate was
87 percent last year. Rendell claimed that Exceptional
Student Education services have im-
But a truer picture of educational proved during his three-year tenure,
success is the Florida Standards As- pointing to what he called an “audit”
with no negative findings. He was re-
ferring to a letter from the Florida
Bureau of Exceptional Education and
Student Services Chief Monica Verra-
Tirado, but Verra-Tirado disputed
Rendell’s characterization of her letter.

“I wouldn’t call it an audit,” Verra-
Tirado told Vero Beach 32963. She
said she had looked at “one monitor-
ing point,” transition plans for ESE
students 16 years and older. Six stu-
dent files were examined and passed
muster. That was the extent of the so-
called audit.

The district has been monitored by
the Bureau for the last three years. It
had to file an improvement plan be-
cause it fell far short of state standards
for educating and taking care of stu-
dents classified as exceptional, many
of whom have learning problems and
other limitations.

The superintendent also brought
up the district's nearly $2 million capi-
tal project to be completed in August,
the construction of an adult education
building next to Gifford Middle School
that will house vocational training
classes, including 10 welding class bays.

“Welding is one of the most sought-
after jobs,” Rendell said, claiming
welding jobs pay an average wage of
$64,000. According to the Bureau of
Labor and Statistics’ most recent data,
however, the average wage for welding
jobs in the U.S. in 2016 was $40,200.

Rendell said the School District’s
success was largely due to important
partnerships, drawing attention to the
Learning Alliance.

He restated the partnership’s feel-
good goal – that 90 percent of third grad-
ers will pass the Florida Standards As-
sessment English Language Arts test by
2018 – a key metric for measuring how
well a student will do in school and life.
But he didn’t give an update on where
the district stands in attaining the goal.

The results for the 2017-2018 aca-
demic year will be out in June, and it
seems unlikely the goal will be achieved
since the pass rate in the prior year was
only 55 percent, three points below the
state’s dismal average. 

Mirror Ball Trophy winners Tracey
Zudans and partner Robert Scott.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS SHINE AT
‘DANCING WITH VERO’S STARS’

12 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Movers and shakers shine at ‘Dancing with Vero’s Stars’

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF show emcee, kicking off the evening by Dr. Giuliana Diaz Jones case that earned a perfect score of 30.
Staff Writer introducing the judges – Barry John- and Joe Tessier. Johnson admitted being so wrapped
son, owner of Melbourne Ballroom; up in the dance that he forgot to score
Local stars lit up the stage at River- Chris Foster, owner of FW Productions; PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 the couple.
side Theatre last Saturday night with and Dee Rose-Imbro, Vero Beach High
one megawatt performance after an- School drama teacher. CPA Ross Co- “You’ve got some bumps and grinds, Spicing things up, dentist/prosth-
other at the 10th annual Dancing with therman of Rehmann again oversaw girl.” odontist Dr. Giuliana Diaz Jones
Vero’s Stars to benefit the Indian River and verified the voting. showed her true colors, enticing part-
County Healthy Start Coalition and Richard Giessert, Wells Fargo Bank ner Joe Tessier to heat up their salsa
support its efforts to establish a system Stars and their professional part- vice president, and partner Marianella with a Latin medley and earning a
of care that optimizes the health of all ners danced their toes off in titillating Tobar scored a 29 for their Argentine score of 29. Foster noted “this dance
local mothers, babies and their fami- tangos, steamy sambas and willowy tango, along with Johnson’s praise, had more tricks than a French hooker
lies. waltzes. Overall scores were based 50 “The tango is a man’s dance, and a and I’m a happy John.”
percent on dancing skills and 50 per- good sign that you are doing well is that
In the end, Grand Prize winner Trac- cent on money raised for Healthy Start. we can’t take our eyes off of her.” There was no taming Tor Jones,
ey Zudans and her partner Robert Scott president of Jones & Jones Advertis-
were the winners of the coveted Mirror Angela Novak, co-owner of Filthy’s Ben Earman, Senior Resource Asso- ing, as he and Karren Walter danced
Ball Trophy. A triple threat, Zudans Fine Cocktails and Beer, popped, ciation marketing and events manager, the samba with the aid of a lion tamer
earned a perfect dance score and was locked and boogalooed in a hip-hop wowed judges with partner Kaylan Ke- and circus performer, scoring a 27. Said
the top online and overall fundraiser. with Sergio Cisneros, earning a 24. athley in a steamy Brazilian zouk and Johnson: “That samba had all the bells
“Girl, you can shake a drink and you cha-cha medley that earned a 28. Fos- and whistles.”
The star dancers all made it look ef- can shake your booty,” said Rose-Im- ter noted, “I like my salsa spicy and that
fortless as they spun, whirled, shim- bro. was hot.” David Thomas, a professional make-
mied, leaped and flitted across the up artist at Dillard’s, and Yvonne Miller
stage, but in truth had put in grueling City Clerk Tammy Bursick and part- Dr. Katya Bailor waltzed her way were introduced by drag queen ‘Hell
hours learning dance routines and ner Joe Wynes took civil service to a around the stage with Manolo Soler for on Wheels’ before dancing the cha-
fundraising. Ultimately, they raised an whole new level, earning a 22 for a fu- a score of 26, demonstrating that the cha-cha and a score of 24. “You really
unprecedented $349,554 for HSC. sion medley of merengue and bachata cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon got the crowd going,” said Johnson.
mixed with west coast swing, hip-hop has a gentle touch. “That was beauti-
With event co-chairs Karen Franke and disco. Rose-Imbro proclaimed, ful, and you were breathtaking,” said Volunteer Tracey Zudans, who jug-
and Lisa Thompson Barnes (2015 and Foster. gles intricate steps daily as a mother,
2017 winners) leading the way, there and her partner Robert Scott were
were more sponsorships and individu- Ron Toperzer, director of fitness at mesmerizing as they glided across the
al dancer fundraisers than ever before. Sea Oaks Beach and Tennis Club, and floor in an elegant foxtrot. A nearly
Shari Tessier enacted a disturbing speechless Foster said, “Every ounce of
In true Hollywood fashion, dancers dream in an interpretive dance show- you danced.”
arrived in chauffeur-driven cars and
made their way along the Red Carpet Guests adjourned to the lobby for a
to the cheers of frenzied fans for a chat dessert reception while scores were
with emcee Tiffany Corr. Later, guests tabulated, before returning to the au-
gathered in the lobby for cocktails and ditorium for the big announcement.
hors d’oeuvres while hobnobbing with
the dancers. First runners-up were Ron Toper-
zer and Shari Tessier, and the second
Hamp Elliott of WOSN returned as runner-up team was Dr. Giuliana Diaz
Jones and Joe Tessier. 



14 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD Tammy Bursick and Joe Wynes.
Sergio Cisneros and Angela Novak.

David Thomas and Yvonne Miller.
Robert Scott and Tracey Zudans.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17 2018 15

PEOPLE

Kaylan Keathley and Ben Earman.

Marianella Tobar and Richard Giessert Dr. Katya Bailor and Manolo Soler. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Miss Hell on Wheels.

Tor Jones and Karren Walter.
Ron Toperzer and Shari Tessier.

16 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Jennifer Jones and Elizabeth Tench. Joan Woodhouse and Hope Woodhouse.
Dr. Glenn Tremml and Andrea Berry.

Ryan Weaver Insurance Inc. is a locally owned Dee Rose-Imbro, Barry Johnson, Chris Foster and Ross Cotherman.
and operated independent agency. Located in the
CenterState Bank Building, just off of Miracle Mile
and across from Classic Car Wash in Vero Beach.

Serving Vero Beach for over 10 years!
All lines of commercial or personal insurance available.

Contact any one of our professional agents for a quote!

Melissa and Ryan Weaver, 855 21st Street
Agency Owners CenterState Bank Building

2nd Floor – Vero Beach

(772) 567-4930

[email protected]
rweaverinsurance.com

Keaundra Jones and Alexa Karoly. PHOTOS: STEPHANIE LABAFF

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17 2018 17

PEOPLE

Rachel and Eric Flowers with Nicki Maslin. Brenda and Robin Lloyd with Susan Clay. Nate and Noel L’Esperance.

Alexandra Radu and Krissy Sammons. Suzanne Barkett and Adrianne Polverari. Jessica Schmitt and Chris Schmitt.

Andrea Berry and Kyle Atkins.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Fish and fun at Dasie Hope Center’s Seafood Fest

BY MARY SCHENKEL Verna Wright with IRCSO Dep. Teddy Floyd, Maj. Eric Flowers and Maj. Selby Strickland. PHOTOS: MARY SCHENKEL to a hot breakfast and lunch and an
afternoon snack, campers are kept
Staff Writer uted, including adorable little girls chuckle. busy with athletics, arts and crafts,
who, when they weren’t jumping in “We get to dress up nice,” said Ja- movies and academics, including
Enticing aromas wafted out of the the bounce house, sold mango-lem- in their new STEM lab, where cod-
Dasie Bridgewater Hope Center last onade slushies. leah, when two 7-year-old friends ing will be offered for the first time.
Saturday morning, where staff and were asked what they liked best. There are also field trips to science
volunteers whipped up mouth-wa- “They want to raise money for “We get to act like ladies,” added Ka- and historical cultural sites, such as
tering crab, shrimp and fish dishes their Diamond Girls Clubhouse; it’s mara. the Orlando Science Museum and
at their Seafood Festival and Family our kindergarten and first grad- the South Florida Science Center &
Fun Day. ers. They have a little club and they “Funds from this go to our sum- Aquarium.
learn table manners and how to get mer camp; scholarships for kids
Verna Wright founded the Wabas- along with each other; how to solve who can’t afford to come to summer “We’re growing; we’re doing great
so-based nonprofit in 2001 to pro- conflicts. That’s the main thing we camp,” said Wright. things, especially through our
vide quality afterschool academic work on, because at that age, ‘It’s STEM lab this year,” said Wright,
and recreational programs to latch- mine! It’s mine!’” said Wright with a Their seven-week camp, for ages 5 noting that they serve roughly 80
key children, ages 5 to 18, who had to 14, runs daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 children in the afterschool program
nowhere else to go. Like the center p.m. May 29 to July 13. In addition and 125 in the camp. “Yes, we’re an
itself, the festival was a way to pay afterschool program, but our after-
tribute to Wright’s mother. school activities lead to opportuni-
ties. I’m excited about our STEM lab,
“My mom used to work at a crab because it’s going to lead a lot of kids
house years and years ago,” said to a lot of opportunities.”
Wright, executive director. “I fig-
ured I’d do this in her memory; she Wright spoke about a young wom-
would be proud.” an who started with them as a third-
grader and will soon graduate high
Wright said that while their first school. She had such a high SAT
seafood festival took place about 10 score that she qualified for a partial
years ago, it was put on a hiatus in scholarship to Florida A&M and is
recent years during some remodel- under consideration for a full schol-
ing – the construction of four addi- arship. And another student, who
tional classrooms, a STEM (Science, hopes to become a pharmacist, will
Technology, Engineering, Math) lab attend a summer medical camp in
and a basketball/tennis court. Boston.

The event was sponsored by Oak “We try to figure out their goals
Point Development and the George early and gear them toward that
E. Warren Corp., with Judah & Son area. We look for opportunities
Fish Market contributing some of for them to major in,” said Wright.
the fish and Vero Chemical donat- “We’re very proud of that.”
ing containers, cups and napkins.
For more information, visit dasie-
Older youngsters earned commu- hope.org. 
nity service hours as volunteers and
even some of the youngest contrib-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17 2018 19

PEOPLE

Sylvia Brock and Nichelle Rains with son Treysen Rains. First-graders Jaleah and Kamara
Alissia Cypress and Amaya Wright twirl up cotton candy. William Wright and Stanley Pinder.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Hole’ lotta money-raising going on at Golf-A-Thon

BY MARY SCHENKEL chaired once again by Robbie Saxton
Staff Writer and Carrie Trooboff, saw 12 golf pros
teeing off under sunny skies at the
They teach and play the game of Riomar Country Club.
kings for a living, but every spring
local golf pros volunteer their time Riomar host pro Drew DiSesa was
to take it to the extreme, playing joined this year by Patrick Cerjan,
135 holes to raise money for the Pointe West Country Club; Mat-
VNA & Hospice Foundation. This thew Challenor, Windsor Club; Pat
year’s 28th annual Golf-A-Thon, co- Gorman, Bent Pine Golf Club; Bob
Gruber, The Moorings Club; Randy

Golf pros teamed up for VNA Golf-A-Thon. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

Catherine Reichert and Mo Reilly. teers and supporters at a post-golf
cocktail reception. “We pride our-
Hedgecock, Vero Beach Country selves on always helping everybody;
Club; Steve Hudson, John’s Island we never ever turn anybody away.
Club; Joe Kern, Grand Harbor Club; All of your dollars go directly to
Ian Killen, Indian River Club; Don healthcare for charity. The VNA is
Meadows, Quail Valley Golf Club; very proud of that fact.”
Bela Nagy, Sandridge Golf Club; and
Rich Waage, Orchid Island Golf Club. Lundy Fields, appointed this May
as president/CEO of Visiting Nurse
The various club members (in a Association of the Treasure Coast,
competitive rivalry as good-natured said he accepted his new role after
as that of the pros) contribute on having served as a VNA board mem-
behalf of their respective players, ber, where he saw the need for their
as do supporters of the VNA at what services.
has become its single largest fund-
raiser. Final contributions are still “I was introduced to places in Vero
being tallied, but this year is already Beach I’ve really never seen before;
a record-breaking total of more than not really great places,” said Fields.
$335,000. He shared the story of meeting a
man who became a quadriplegic fol-
Numerous volunteers, many with lowing a car accident and the great
first-hand knowledge of the car- strides made through his efforts
ing services provided by the VNA & working with VNA therapists, us-
Hospice, help out before and after ing equipment funded through the
the event, and out on the course it- foundation.
self, zipping around the links as ‘pro
caddy’ drivers, raking bunkers and “He says thank you; he’ll never be
repairing divots. able to come to an event like this to
say thank you,” said Fields. “I’m say-
“There are very many people in ing thank you on his behalf. From
our county that can’t afford health- the bottom of my heart, thank you
care of any sort,” said Kathie Pierce, very much. On behalf of the VNA
VNA & Hospice Foundation board and all the people we serve, thank
chairman, speaking to pros, volun- you, thank you, thank you.”

The inaugural Golf-A-Thon took
place at the then-new Orchid Island
Golf Club, when four pros played 100
holes and raised $26,000. The event
will return to Orchid on May 6 for the
first time since that initial year, with
Catherine Reichert and Mo Reilly,
accepting the ‘ceremonial golf ball’
as 2019 event co-chairs.

The VNA & Hospice provides
home health and rehabilitative ser-
vices, hospice care and bereavement
counseling, as well as community
wellness healthcare services to any-
one needing care, regardless of their
ability to pay. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17 2018 21

PEOPLE

Michelle Deschane, Lundy Fields, Robbie Saxton and Drew DiSesa. Patricia Knipper with Michael and Kathie Pierce. Carol Kanarek, Emily Sherwood and Polly Bonner.

Geri Altieri, Joan Marra, Steve Hudson, Kathy Gundermann and Katherine Seem. Ed and Ruth Farrell, Katherine Byrne, Catherine Reichert and Dennis Byrne.

Creative Floors

22 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

What a dragster! ‘Quail’ show revs up classic car buffs

BY KERRY FIRTH blast!” exclaimed Kathryn ‘Kat’ Red-
Correspondent ner, our own home-grown celebrity
driver. “You line up your car, give it
Car enthusiasts flocked to Quail power and you are flying down the
Valley River Club last Saturday af- track at 280 mph in 5.5 seconds. The
ternoon to admire some of the finest rush is indescribable.”
vehicles ever produced and marvel at
a jet dragster that can blow them all Redner currently attends Florida
away in a quarter-mile. Institute of Technology, where she is
studying multi-platform journalism
“Driving this jet car is literally a with a focus on STEAM (Science, Tech-

Wanda Lincoln, Trudie Rainone, Amy Hughes and Carol Fischman. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD

nology, Engineering, Arts, Mathemat- earn college credits while developing
ics) education. She has also interned new technology and learning about
at Larsen Motorsports for nearly three the motorsports industry.”
years, crewing and coordinating its
marketing and communications. This Kat’s mother, Martha Redner, is
past January she earned a position on Quail’s director of membership and
the 2018 Larsen Motorsports jet rac- marketing and is also executive di-
ing team, becoming one of only eight rector of Quail Valley Charities, the
women jet dragster drivers in the na- event’s beneficiary. “We help fund 35
tion. charities that focus on education and
children within Indian River County
Redner was taught by one of the and all the proceeds from this event
best – Elaine Larsen, a two-time World will go toward those charities,” she
Champion jet dragster driver and said.
president of Larsen Motorsports.
“Many of our members are car en-
“Kat worked with me behind the thusiasts and this was a perfect op-
scenes for 2 1/2 years. And seeing her portunity to blend the love of cars
transition to the driver’s seat and gain with the philanthropic goals of our
confidence behind the wheel fuels the club. We have 37 museum-quality col-
LMS business model of helping cre- lector cars at this show belonging to
ate the next generation of high-per- our members and team associates.
formance professionals,” said Larsen The oldest is a 1936 Ford Phaeton and
with pride. the newest is a 2018 McLaren. The ap-
pearance of the jet dragster makes it
“My husband Chris and I changed even more special.”
our focus from racing to make money
and acquire trophies, to figuring out a To view a schedule of events where
way to inspire the next generation to you can see Kat Redner and other
continue improving the cars and the drivers race to the finish line, or to re-
sport. Eighty percent of our employ- quest a tour of the facility, visit LMS-
ees are college interns from FIT, who JETS.com. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17 2018 23

PEOPLE

Martha and Kristen Redner with Brian Tocci.

PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Helene Jefferson with Helena and Alexandra. Kat Redner.

24 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 Lee Lipfert and Jim Moffatt.
Gary Ball and Jim Hoffman.

Deke Welles, Doug Jones and Bill Jenkins. Agata Shahamat and Jerrica Knowles.

Stacey Kenyon with Ryan. Elaine Larsen and Bill Penney.

KIRBY’S ‘SOUTHERN EXPOSURE’:
ADDITION BY ABSTRACTION

26 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Kirby’s ‘Southern Exposure’: Addition by abstraction

BY ELLEN FISCHER after moving here from Muskegon.
He settled here 18 months ago, but
Columnist
he is no stranger to the area. His sis-
To prepare you for the upcoming ter, painter Deborah Gooch, and her
sturm und drang of summer in Flor- husband Jim have been in Vero for
ida, an exhibition of gestural, emo- three decades. Kirby visited them
tion-filled paintings (in addition to often in recent years. His sister intro-
coolly rational collages) is on display duced Kirby to a lot of people in Vero’s
at Vero’s Center for Spiritual Care. art scene, among them his girlfriend,
“Southern Exposure: Works by Mark pastel artist Dawn Miller.
Kirby” are abstracts inspired equally
by New York School paintings of the “Vero’s been like a second home,
mid-20th century and the dark side
of nature. The 30 works in the exhibi- Mark Kirby.
tion – roughly half of them paintings
and the other half smaller works in PHOTOS BY GORDON RADFORD
collage – will be on display through
May 31.

A recent transplant from Michigan,
Mark Kirby mused about the aesthet-
ic dictum that black does not exist in
nature.

“Florida is always depicted as a
bright place, but people forget that
these huge thunderstorms roll off the
ocean that are black. The streetlights
will come on because they are tricked
into thinking it’s nighttime.”

His Blue Cypress series, for ex-
ample, was based on one of Kirby’s
favorite spots. Represented by three
paintings in the show, the series does
not depict the cypress trees or alli-
gator-packed waters of Indian River
County’s largest lake. Instead, Kirby
took as his subject the shadow colors
of the woods that surround the lake
as well as its tannin-stained depths.

Often, the dark overtakes the light
in these works. In Blue Cypress IV, an
angry scumble of black partially ob-
scures passages of yellow, clear blue
and white. Its manifestation is akin to
a sudden thundercloud about to make
Paradise a little more interesting.

“I’ve always wanted to come down
here to live,” says Kirby, who bought
a house on Vero’s mainland not long

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 27

ARTS & THEATRE

really,” Kirby says. tion, his painting, “Strand at Dawn”
Even those who have come to know followed a collage with which he was
particularly satisfied called “Art Kas-
his work think of him as being of lon- sel.” Both were executed this year.
ger duration here; a polestar in its art
firmament. “Both have the same structure. I
didn’t want to replicate the collage,
In reality, Kirby has been finding but I wanted to put what I had been
himself in abstract painting for only doing in collage on canvas.”
six years, part of that time under the
tutelage of his sister, whose advice he Is Vero’s audience ready for Kirby’s
would seek over the phone when he foreboding facture, his shadowy pal-
lived up north. In addition to wanting ette?
to be warmer (and closer to those he
holds dear), Kirby came to Florida for “A lot of people in Vero are very
his art’s sake. sophisticated. They’ve seen a lot of
good art. They’ve been exposed to
“As far as abstraction goes, it’s not Franz Klein, the classic expression-
a big thing in Michigan. Pictures of ists. They are used to seeing dark
Lake Michigan, realism sells.” paintings,” he says.. 

Mark’s foray into art began in 2004, rience under his belt, Kirby came in
when he was laid up, and laid off, second in an international fish de-
from his 15-year career as the dis- coy competition, a big deal for those
trict manager and a columnist for the wanting to make a name for them-
Muskegon Chronicle. selves in the fish decoy world.

After breaking his back in a fall at Kirby created about 50 decoys before
work, Kirby went through a few ago- carving lost its luster for him. He kept
nizing years of rehabilitation, first a handful of his prizewinners; selling
from the injury and then from a failed others for a song or giving them as gifts.
back surgery. Bored and unable to do
more physical activities, Kirby began Kirby next turned to “weird folk-art
to carve lifelike fish decoys with gently paintings.”
curved tails from scraps of basswood.
“Deb liked them and early on I had
Ice spearfishing is done on the fro- a painting of a crow in the ‘Small is
zen lakes of Michigan, Minnesota, Big’ show at Gallery 14. That was the
Wisconsin and upstate New York, first exhibit I was in,” he says.
where pike are hunted using a decoy
that is lowered through a hole cut in He progressed into abstract paint-
lake ice. An angler will jig (wiggle) ing after seeing his sister foray into
the lure with one hand while hold- painting that was more about mark-
ing a multipronged spear, its barbs making and pure color than her pre-
beneath the water’s surface, with the vious series of narrative figural works.
other. The goal is to impale a pike that
mistakes the lively decoy for lunch. To educate himself, Kirby began
reading about 20th-century American
Says Kirby, “Pike are big and mean. abstraction and fell in love with “the
Normally they come in and hit your old abstractionists: de Kooning, Kline,
lure. A lot of times they come right in Motherwell.” On a visit to the Grand
and smash it.” Rapids Art Museum he saw “a gigantic
Cy Twombly” on loan from the Whit-
Kirby filled his decoy bellies with ney Museum of American Art.
molten lead for ballast and stuck sheet
metal fins in all the right places be- “I sat in front of that Twombly for
fore finishing them off with glass eyes hours,” he says, declaring the experi-
and a paint job: speckled trout, rain- ence as akin to a religious awakening.
bow trout, minnow, tadpole. Although
molded plastic lures have been made “It just clicked with me. I liked the
for the purpose for many years, ice fact that I could be instinctual and
fishing purists still use the hand- I could do things through my mind
carved decoys, which can get pretty and body, instead of concentrating
beat up after repeated pike attacks. on these little nit-picky things.”

According to Kirby, the pike are not When he first began painting his
nearly as particular about aesthetics own abstractions, Kirby emulated his
as those who hunt them. sister’s high-keyed palette, but he was
determined to find his own voice. He
“The pike don’t care,” he says. “The struggled with everything that ap-
colors that really work are red and peared (to him) to come naturally to
white. You can take a piece of wood, her: composition, line and form.
paint it red and white and throw it in
the water and jig it, and they’re going to To approach the problem from a
come up. They see that color, that con- new angle he turned to collage, cut-
trast, and that’s what they come after.” ting up plates from books on archi-
tecture, snipping fragments from
With that in mind, Kirby carved his handwritten letters, and isolating
decoys to attract the piscatorial eye passages from sheet music. He re-
of the fisher rather than the fished united them – with painted passages,
and included a couple of gag lures – as needed – into abstract pictures.
a chicken in a bikini and a mermaid.
With just two years of carving expe- As his collaged compositions be-
came more assured, his paintings
followed suit. In the current exhibi-

28 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Wall power! Muralist Fisher builds national following

BY MICHELLE GENZ office in Logan Square. Since then, he Nick “Sick” Fisher.
Staff Writer has transformed building after build-
ing with his distinctive cartoon-like fig- PHOTOS BY GORDON RADFORD
When St. Edward’s School handed ures and dot-and-dash backdrops.
2004 graduate Joseph Nicholas Fisher
his diploma, it left off his nickname, “It’s a blast radius – I’ve painted nine
Sick. buildings within an eighth of a mile. It’s
been a while since I cold-called anyone.
Today, Sick Fisher’s middle-school Everything at this point is word-of-
moniker is worked into dozens of mu- mouth,” Fisher says.
rals he now paints for a living, including
one for the Chicago Bears football team “Chicago, for a large city, is also a
and another for the Skokie Theatre, not very small community. Working in four
far from the Chicago neighborhood or five different neighborhoods, it just
where he currently lives. spreads. If you do it for the right price,
you will continue to get work.
Last month, Fisher, now 32, re-
turned to his childhood home to paint “Murals are becoming a very hot
a mural of sea-captain portraits at the commodity. If they can afford an art-
entrance of Capt. Hiram’s, Sebastian’s ist and they can work with them, they
landmark bar and restaurant. Owner will call; much like a handyman when
Will Collins is a lifelong friend and fel- something breaks.”
low St. Ed’s alum.
As for income remaining steady,
A graduate of Florida State Universi- Fisher waves off any concern. He has
ty, where he earned a BFA in studio art, also taken intentional breaks to keep
Fisher moved to Chicago, fulfilling a from “inundating the audience” and to
life-long dream of living in a major city. let his creativity simmer, as he puts it.
While working at a diner near his apart-
ment and building a portfolio of paint- “You’ve got to have a rest note. It
ings in his free time, he saw a Craigslist creates a space in the rhythm of your
ad seeking a muralist for an old patent output.”

So far, working hand-to-wall has not
induced anxiety.

Part of the entrance at
Capt. Hiram’s painted

by Nick Fisher.

“Not at all,” he says. “It’s incredibly after the other,” he says.
exciting. It’s about momentum, once Along with leaving his signature on
you start getting enough work and
enough of an audience.” buildings, he has made “deep, deep
friendships” in Chicago. “It’s so great
While visiting his parents in Sebas- that I’m really nervous about spread-
tian last month, Fisher reconnected ing out,” says Fisher, who is planning
with fellow artist Jared Thomas, who an extended stay in Los Angeles in the
arranged for him to paint a mural on coming months to broaden his base
the back of his downtown gallery, Raw professionally.
Space. Although visitors to the gallery
may never see the mural out back, the Last year, Fisher won a commission
regulars at Kountry Kitchen, a diner from the Chicago Bears football team.
on Old Dixie in Vero, can’t miss it – it The Bears decided to use street art in
overlooks the breakfast-and-lunch a marketing campaign and discovered
spot’s parking lot. Fisher through a gallery that knew his
work. The campaign earned a write-up
The mural – of a parking lot – in AdWeek.
pleased the owners of the diner as
much as it did Thomas. “They loved The mural, painted on a wall of a
it. They were so nice; they brought us reggae club, is featured on the Bears’
lunch a couple of times.” website.

Fisher’s mark on his hometown Fisher’s biggest mural to date – a
pales in comparison with his adopted month-long effort – was a commission
home in northwest Chicago’s historic from the village of Skokie, Ill., to paint a
Humboldt Park neighborhood. Over mural on the Skokie Theatre.
the course of nearly a decade, he has
painted corner stores, a record shop, a “Sometimes I feel like a contractor,”
bookstore, restaurants and bars, “one says Fisher, who on occasion rents an
aerial lift to reach high places. “I have
to get my own supplies, I have to keep

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 29

ARTS & THEATRE

my receipts, I’ve got to do my own Coming Up: Fox News’ Baier hits Book Center
numbers.”
BY MARY SCHENKEL 4 And final-
Along with connections for potential Staff Writer ly, June 1
commissions, he has generated an In-
stagram following of over 4,700 with a marks the start
series of his “art drops,” random objects
he has found and painted, then placed 1 Bret Baier, host of Special Report of the guided sea-
in various settings and photographed. with Bret Baier on the Fox News
turtle nesting walks
While he was finishing up the Capt.
Hiram’s mural, he found an old satellite Channel, will visit the Vero Beach Book that take place every June and July
dish on his way to work – he commutes
by bicycle, even in Chicago. Center at 1 p.m. this Saturday, May 19, at the Archie Carr National Wildlife

Recently, he drove to Miami with a to introduce his newest book, “Three Refuge, one of the most prolific nest-
pair of old roller blades he bought at a
Goodwill and painted. But his destina- Days in Moscow.” Following on the ing areas in North America. Space is
tion – South Beach – looked “too pol-
ished, too obvious, too on-the-nose.” heels of “Three Days in January,” which limited, so make your reservations
So he crossed the causeway and found
a parking lot near the highway, where focused on President Dwight D. Eisen- now. The nighttime walks are offered
“people had already tagged up the area
and there were a lot of, uh, less shiny hower and his efforts to chart a “course by Friends of the Carr Refuge, Friends
buildings.” He situated the skates,
snapped a photo and posted it to his toward permanent peace and human of Sebastian Inlet State Park and the
growing Instagram.
betterment,” this latest book explores Sea Turtle Conservancy. Walks begin
The shot joined images from a trip
last September, when he drove from a series of summits between President at 9 p.m. with turtle talks before tur-
San Diego to Chicago, picking up ob-
jects along the way, painting them in Ronald Regan and Soviet General Sec- tle walks, while volunteer scouts and
his hotel and “leaving them wherever
I thought they made sense” to take a retary Mikhail Gorbachev, leading up park rangers keep an eye out for nest-
photo.
to the dissolution of the USSR. Auto- 1 Bret Baier at Vero Beach ing loggerheads as they lumber up
In San Francisco, he painted a Book Center May 19.
Painted Lady – a miniature of the fa- graph line tickets will be provided with out of the water. The whole process
mous Victorian houses – and set it on kee Tavern,” an engaging conspiracy
a chair in front of the actual Painted a book purchase. 772-569-2050 or visit thriller that will run Sept. 11-23. The can take several hours, so pack your
Ladies. At Mount Rushmore, he left show centers on the 9/11 tragedy
a painted Halloween mask of George verobeachbookcenter.com. and a fascination with the “truth” patience – and bug spray – and leave
W. Bush. In the Badlands, he went to as opined by a local barfly obsessed
a prairie dog ranch, bought a pair of with call-in talk shows, an engaged the littlest ones at home. So as not to
prairie dog salt shakers and paint- couple and an “informed” stranger.
ed those; in the photo, they are set 2 Grab your best cowpoke attire 772-562-8300 or verobeachtheatre- interfere, flashlights and flash pho-
among the ranch’s real prairie dogs. and get to Riverside Theatre early guild.com.
In Milwaukee, he painted a beer tap tography are not allowed. To reserve
and convinced a bar to install it. He
snapped a photo of the tap, and left before Comedy Zone and Howl at the your spot, visit carrrefuge.org, fsisp-
it there.
Moon weekend performances. This turtlewalk.org and conserveturtles.
“I’ve been very lucky in my ca-
reer and in life in general in that it’s month enjoy free downhome country org/barrier-island-center-education-
been a very tempered progression.
I’ve gone from a small town, Sebas- music at Boots n’ Brews, the Outdoor a l-pr og r a m s-s e a-t u r t le -w a l k-re s er-
tian, to a somewhat bigger town, Tal-
lahassee, to Chicago, which was my Music Concerts in the Loop Summer vation. 
dream. Nothing happened so fast that
I scrambled or curdled.” Kickoff, where you can also wet your

Fisher’s parents, David Fisher, at one whistle with free samples of Walk-
point a civil engineer for the city of Se-
bastian, and Susan Fisher, who worked ing Tree craft brews or purchase great
as an administrative assistant at St.
Edward’s, followed a reverse progres- grub and cocktails. The fun starts at 6
sion. After meeting in Saudi Arabia,
they returned to Los Angeles and then p.m. and the country music lineup of
decided to raise their new baby, Nick,
in a small town, Sebastian. bands includes Crooked Creek, May 18;

It was his grandmother who sug- the Casey Raines Band, May 19; Pretty
gested he go to St. Ed’s; he started
there in kindergarten. Ruthless, May 25; and Whiskey Six,

Asked if he ever felt out of place at the May 26. Comedians Max Dolcelli and
pricey prep school, he paused. “I cer-
tainly didn’t not fit in. I was never dis- Ken Miller highlight the Comedy Zone
couraged, put it that way.”
at Riverside Theatre, with performanc-
“If you want to be an artist, you have
to make your own way,” Fisher says.  es at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., May 18-19,

on the Waxlax Stage. Tickets are $12 to

$18. Orin Sands and Ken Gustafson are

the featured entertainers at the May

25-26 Howl at the Moon Experience, a

high-energy show where dueling pia-

nists tickle the ivories while belting out

tunes requested by audience mem-

bers. Tickets $12 to $22. 772-231-6990

or riversidetheatre.com.

3 If you’ve ever been bitten by the
acting bug, you still have time

to try out at open auditions for the

first two shows of the Vero Beach

Theatre Guild’s new season, 7 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday, May 21-22.

Southern belles are needed for the

comedy “Dixie Swim Club,” a five-

woman show about a bond forged

on a college swim team that contin-

ues more than three decades as they

meet each summer, sans husbands

and children, on the Outer Banks of

North Carolina. The show will run

July 10-22. One woman and three

men are needed for the cast of “Yan-





32 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

A SECRET LOCATION OUTSIDE health officials dub “Disease X” – or Monday, officials announced plans to hearing, lawmakers expressed con-
WASHINGTON, D.C. – From the other major public health emergency. add more anthrax antitoxin. cern that a change could risk the gov-
outside, it looks like an ordinary com- ernment’s ability to deliver lifesav-
mercial warehouse, only much bigger, There are antibiotics, including the For nearly two decades, the reposi- ing medical supplies to what public
about the size of two super Walmarts. powerful medication Ciprofloxacin, tory has been almost exclusively man- health officials call “the last mile” – to
vaccines for smallpox and anthrax aged by the Centers for Disease Con- people in need during a disaster.
Inside it’s dark except when motion and antivirals for a deadly influenza trol and Prevention. That will change
sensors are triggered. When the lights pandemic. under a Trump administration plan to “You have spent years planning and
come on, hundreds of thousands of shift oversight of the $575 million pro- exercising and training because you
shrink-wrapped boxes of medicines The need for biodefense has become gram to a different part of the Depart- need to know what to do if 100,000
emerge from the gloom, stacked on more clear in the wake of outbreaks of ment of Health and Human Services. doses of Cipro showed up in your
shelves nearly five stories high. Ebola in West Africa, Zika in the Ameri- Doing so, proponents say, will keep the state,” said Ali Khan, who used to
cas, devastating wildfires and hurri- program intact but streamline deci- oversee the program and now is dean
This is quite a different kind of ware- canes, and the poisonings of the North sion-making and create “efficiencies.” at the University of Nebraska Medi-
house. It and several others across the Korean leader's half brother in Malaysia cal Center’s College of Public Health.
country are part of the $7 billion Stra- and former Russian spies in England But some public health officials and “How would you get it out? Who
tegic National Stockpile, a government with nerve and radiological agents. members of Congress in both parties would dispense it? These parts are as
repository of drugs and supplies ready worry the move will disrupt a complex critical as maintaining the medicines
for deployment in a bioterrorism or Last year, the federal government process that relies on long-standing re- in pristine condition.”
nuclear attack, or against an infectious added three new chemicals to its list of lationships between the federal program
disease outbreak – of either a known high-priority threats, including chlo- and the state and local agencies respon- He and other public health experts
pathogen or some unknown threat rine and blister agents, such as mus- sible for distributing the medicine. also question whether the adminis-
with pandemic potential, which global tard gas, that have been used in deadly tration’s plan will politicize decision-
chemical weapons attacks in Syria. On During a recent congressional

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 33

INSIGHT COVER STORY

making about products bought for parallel need for medications, like an- land’s health secretary during the 2001 or region a “12-hour push package,” a
the stockpile. The office of the assis- tibiotics, that have much broader use. terrorist and anthrax attacks. pre-configured cache of 130 contain-
tant secretary for preparedness and ers of antibiotics, syringes and oxygen
response (ASPR) oversees the process And it’s not clear, they caution, Officials won't say how many stock- tubing, enough to fill the belly of a
by which the government awards con- whether the new structure will make pile warehouses exist. But there are at widebody plane. “About 50 tons of ma-
tracts to private biotechnology com- Americans safer. least six, according to a 2016 indepen- teriel,” said Shirley Mabry, the stock-
panies that develop and manufacture dent report. All the locations are se- pile’s chief logistics officer.
medicines such as anthrax vaccine. The stockpile should contain “the cret, including this one in an industrial
stuff we need for the disasters we complex off a busy highway. A reporter In the section of the warehouse
The CDC then is responsible for know we’re going to have – like gloves, allowed to tour the facility had to agree where biologic drugs such as botu-
buying and replenishing the materi- syringes, Cipro, penicillin, antibiotics, not to disclose the location. No cam- lism antitoxins are stored at minus-4
als. Eligible medicines are tested by and influenza vaccines – versus the era, video equipment or cellphone is degrees Fahrenheit, workers wear full-
the Food and Drug Administration to newest, sexiest version of the anthrax permitted inside. body insulated suits. Because of the
check if, and for how long, the expira- vaccine,” said Georges Benjamin, ex- intense cold they are limited to 20 min-
tion date can be extended. ecutive director of the American Pub- In the early hours of a crisis, the utes inside the two enormous freezers,
lic Health Association, who was Mary- warehouse can send an affected city just enough time to drive a forklift in
and retrieve a pallet of medicine. An
INSIDE ONE OF THE WAREHOUSES OF THE intensely loud vibrating sound makes
STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE ARE CON- conversation impossible.
TAINERS OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES READY FOR
SHIPMENT IN THE EVENT OF A LARGE-SCALE Nationwide, the repository contains
PUBLIC HEALTH INCIDENT. THESE SUPPLIES enough medical countermeasures to
CAN BE SENT OUT WITHIN 12 HOURS OF A add up to more than 133,995 pallets.
FEDERAL DECISION TO DEPLOY. Laid flat, they’d cover more than 31
football fields – or 41 acres of land. They
Come October, however, the ASPR contain enough vaccine to protect ev-
will be in charge of choosing the prod- ery person in America from smallpox.
ucts and then purchasing them for
the stockpile. Proponents say the shift The stockpile program was created
makes sense operationally to place key in 1999 under President Bill Clinton to
decisions about the repository under respond to terrorist events, including
one office. the first World Trade Center bombing,
the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo sub-
“I think this is a very good move,” way and the Oklahoma City bombing.
said Irwin Redlener, director of the Na-
tional Center for Disaster Preparedness The original goal was to be ready
at Columbia University. “It will help co- for chemical, biological, radiological
ordinate and organize the delivery of and nuclear threats. The repository
vital medical responses.” includes nearly 2,000 caches of nerve
agent antidotes, known as Chempacks,
But critics say it will allow biotech that are stored and maintained sepa-
companies to lobby for more of their rately from the warehouses at more
specialized, and often more expen- than 1,300 locations around the coun-
sive, drugs to be included because the try where they can be accessed quickly.
federal government is often the only
purchaser. Just because the govern- Over time, the stockpile’s mission has
ment can buy these products, they say, expanded to include natural disasters
doesn’t mean it should do so given the and emerging infectious disease threats.
The stockpile deployed antiviral medi-
cine during the 2009-2010 swine flu pan-
demic, and vaccines, portable cots and
other supplies during the hurricanes
that devastated Houston and Puerto
Rico last year. As the only source of bot-
ulism antitoxin in the United States, it
also sends medicine for about 100 cases
a year of severe food poisoning.

The inventory exceeds 1,000 cat-
egories of drugs and other items, but
CDC’s budget hasn’t always been able
to keep up with the program’s ever-
growing list of needs.

“It’s a mission among many pressing
missions among the CDC,” said Tara
O’Toole, who was undersecretary for
science and technology under Presi-
dent Barack Obama and chaired a Na-
tional Academy of Sciences, Engineer-
ing and Medicine committee in 2016
that reviewed the challenges facing the
program. “Bottom line, it's a good idea
to lay the responsibility of the cost of
maintaining it on the same people who
decide what to put in the stockpile.”

The group of federal agencies making
decisions about what goes in the reposi-

STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

34 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 INSIGHT COVER STORY

tory is led by the ASPR office, which is HOUSTON’S GEORGE R. BROWN CONVEN- Yet Congress has some bipartisan
headed by former Air Force physician TION CENTER BECAME A SHELTER FOR THOSE concerns about the stockpile’s future.
Robert Kadlec. He is a former special DISPLACED BY HURRICANE HARVEY. Republican and Democratic appropri-
assistant to President George W. Bush ators, who just gave the program bud-
on biodefense and former deputy staff get a slight boost for this year, signaled
director of the Senate Intelligence Com- their unease as part of the recently
mittee. passed spending bill. They specifically
highlighted CDC’s “unique expertise
Kadlec stresses that the impending in public health preparedness and
change has nothing to do with CDC’s response, science-based policy and
performance. “The question here is decision-making, public health com-
whether we can get better efficiencies,” munication, and coordination with
he said in an interview. At the same state and local groups.”
time, he said he will be able to advo-
cate most effectively for the program Lawmakers also “strongly urged”
to give it greater visibility, which could HHS Secretary Alex Azar to “maintain
lead to more funding. a strong and central role for CDC” in
the program.
“Quite frankly, by the back of the en-
velope, they need more money,” he said. Kadlec testified April 18 at a House
Appropriations subcommittee hear-
When the stockpile was established, ing on next year's HHS biodefense
CDC was the only major public health budget. Rep. Tom Cole, (R-Okla.), who
agency in the federal government. chairs the health subcommittee, told
The ASPR office, created in 2006 in the Kadlec his main concern is “that we
wake of Hurricane Katrina to manage make this organizational change in a
emergency responses across the gov- way that makes [the stockpile] stron-
ernment, was historically focused on ger, not one that's duplicative, let alone
natural disasters and threats from dirty something that might disrupt the rela-
bombs or crude biological or chemical tionships we have.”
weapons, he said.
Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), ranking
But since then, the world has changed, Democrat on the Senate Health, Edu-
with many more unpredictable threats. cation, Labor and Pensions Committee,
The ASPR office needs to change to faults the administration for failing to
meet these threats. “The decision to get “any input from Congress” despite
move the stockpile, I think, was just a the fact that lawmakers are in the pro-
natural one,” Kadlec said.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 35

INSIGHT COVER STORY

cess of reauthorizing the law that in- a letter in February to Mick Mulvaney, response, saying it will “streamline op- At CDC, the program’s current di-
cludes the Strategic National Stockpile. President Trump’s budget director. At erational decisions during responses to rector is hoping its planned move this
the CDC, she said, the program “may public health and other emergencies fall will provide new ways to improve
“We have yet to see proof this large- be better protected from politicization and improve responsiveness.” It is un- the stockpile’s capability. Regardless
scale public health program with and therefore better able to be scien- likely Congress could derail the move, of where it is located within HHS, Greg
complex state, local and federal part- tifically driven.” but appropriators have to fund it and Burel said, in an emergency “we will
nerships would be better served at still can provide direction and oversight. not change the way we respond.” 
ASPR than at CDC,” Murray wrote in Mulvaney defended the plan in his

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38 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

BERNIE SANDERS’S JOB GUARANTEE: IS IT A BOONDOGGLE?

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wants To be sure, there is a real problem at about $400 billion. Although some the creation of so many jobs? Taylor is
the federal government to guarantee here. Even when reported unemploy- of this might be recaptured from sav- skeptical. (The 15 million added jobs
a job for every American willing and ment is low – as now, at 3.9 percent – ings from food stamps and other wel- would equal about 1 in 10 existing jobs.)
able to work. The proposal sounds “millions of Americans remain unem- fare programs, overall spending is
compassionate and enlightened, but ployed or underemployed.” They often likely underestimated. Is there a skills mismatch between
in practice, it would almost certainly have poor skills, wrestle with drug or what the jobless can do and what actu-
be a disaster. alcohol problems, or are so discouraged The reason is Medicare. If it’s pro- ally needs doing? Probably. (Remember:
they’ve dropped out of the labor force. vided for those making $15 an hour, Candidates for the public-sector jobs
The fact that it’s taken seriously is there will be pressures to provide it for are among the least-skilled workers.)
evidence that many Democrats, like The job guarantee’s appeal is obvi- most workers. Otherwise, uncovered
Republicans before them, embrace ous. A recent Civis Analytics poll for workers might stage a political rebel- Is there a similar geographic mis-
loony economic agendas that are the Nation magazine found 52 percent lion or switch from today’s low-paying match – say, the jobless are in Michi-
more public-relations gestures than of respondents in favor. The trouble is private-sector jobs to the better-paid gan and the jobs are in Arizona? This,
sensible policy. that there is a vast gap between rhetoric public-service jobs, as the Wall Street too, seems probable.
and reality. Indeed, some leftish com- Journal’s Greg Ip notes. The same logic
Just precisely how Sanders’s scheme mentators recognize this. Here’s Kevin applies to child-care subsidies. Can the new workers be disci-
would work is unclear, because he Drum, a blogger for Mother Jones: plined? Good question. “The problem
hasn’t yet submitted detailed legis- Then there’s inflation. The extra with a job ‘guarantee’ is that you can’t
lation. However, the website of the “Even our lefty comrades in social spending and higher wages might push fire people,” notes Taylor.
Sanders Institute endorses a job-guar- democratic Europe don’t guarantee prices upward. The Bard economists
antee plan devised by economists at jobs for everyone. It would cost a for- profess to be unworried – mainly be- Finally, would state and local gov-
Bard College’s Levy Economics Insti- tune; it would massively disrupt the cause their economic “model” predicts ernments substitute federally funded
tute. This suggests how a job guaran- private labor market; it would almost a negligible inflation effect. But models jobs for existing jobs that are sup-
tee might function. certainly tank productivity; and it’s un- are often unreliable, and the Federal ported by local taxes? This seems in-
likely in the extreme that the millions Reserve is unlikely to be so complacent. evitable. It, too, would limit the overall
Under their plan, anyone needing of workers in this program could ever effect on employment.
a job could get one at a uniform wage be made fully competent at their jobs.” Other practical problems loom. On
of $15 an hour, plus health insurance his always useful and strictly nonparti- Americans are suckers for great
(probably Medicare) and other benefits Many problems are unavoidable. san blog, Conversable Economist, Tim- crusades that make the world safe for
(importantly: child care). When fully The proposal would add to already othy Taylor poses difficult questions. the pursuit of happiness. In this con-
deployed, the program would create 15 swollen federal budget deficits. The text, Sanders’s job guarantee seems
million public-service jobs, estimate the Bard economists put the annual cost Does the federal government have a masterstroke. The chronically un-
economists. This would be huge: about the managerial competence to oversee employed need jobs; and states and
five times the number of existing federal localities have large unmet needs for
jobs (2.8 million) and triple the number public and quasi-public services. It’s a
of state government jobs (5 million). bargain made in heaven.

Although the federal government Back here on Earth, the collabora-
would pay the costs, the program tion looks less noble. The object is to
would be administered by states, lo- appear good and buy political sup-
calities and nonprofit organizations, port. Many of the suggested jobs seem
which would design jobs and enroll best described as make-work. The
beneficiaries. Some jobs mentioned irony is that, by assigning government
by the economists: cleaning up vacant tasks likely to fail, the advocates of ac-
properties; overseeing programs for tivist government bring government
new mothers and at-risk youths; tree into disrepute. 
planting; and weatherizing homes.
This column by Robert J. Samuelson of The

Washington Post does not necessarily re-

flect the views of Vero Beach 32963.

NURSES RANKED AS MOST ETHICAL AND HONEST PROFESSIONALS—AGAIN

Throughout the 21st century, nurses have earned top ranking tors and peer and patient educators), patient navigators, in
year-after-year in the Gallup poll on ethics and honesty except home health agencies, providing hospice care, in sales and
for 2011, when firefighters were honored for their heroic re- marketing, doing research, as advanced registered nurse prac-
sponse to the terrorist attack of 9/11. titioners (ARNPs) with their own private practice, and more.

But this year again, for the 16th consecutive year, nurses are Also, within the realm of clinical care is a vast selection of spe- © 2018 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ranked as the most ethical and honest professionals in America. cialties for nurses to choose from, such as cardiac, cancer, ortho-
The American Nurses Association reports there are over 3 mil- pedics, etc. As needs of society evolve so does nursing advance
lion registered nurses (RNs) and advanced registered nurse to meet those needs. Both art and science, the field of nursing
practitioners (ARNPs) in the U.S. In addition to being the na- involves intuition, rigorous training and continuous education
tion’s largest health care profession, nurses comprise the larg- combined with compassion and respect for patients and their
est single component of hospital staff, are the primary provid- families and loved ones. According to the American Nurses As-
ers of hospital patient care, and deliver most of the nation’s sociation they are the “glue that holds a patient’s health journey
long-term care. together and indispensable in safeguarding public health.”
The primary pathway to professional nursing is the four-year In Florida, ARNPs are authorized, based on their education,
Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) degree. Registered nurs- training and practice agreement with their sponsoring phy-
es are educated either through a BSN program, a two-year sician, to perform physical exams, order tests, diagnose and
associate degree in nursing or a three-year hospital training treat routine illnesses and prescribe medications. Some ARNPs
program. Today, most nursing degrees are earned through serve as certified nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives.
college and university systems. Graduates must take the state The nursing profession is one of the fastest growing occupa-
licensing exam to become a registered nurse. tions in America. There are typically four times as many nurses
In the U.S., scope of practice is determined by the state or ter- on staff at a hospital as doctors at any given time. According
ritory in which a nurse is licensed. Each state has its own laws, to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for registered
rules and regulations governing nursing care, led by a board of nurses is projected to be 16 percent between 2014 and 2024.
nursing that performs day-to-day administration. Congratulations, nurses, and thank you for your integrity and
Once limited to bedside care in hospitals and physician offices, for protecting, promoting and improving health care for all. 
nurses now have many opportunities to serve: as administra- Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always
tors (CEOs, executives, case managers, quality review direc- welcome. Email us at [email protected].

40 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

Thanks to modern medi- in Britain, the U bot- scribe themselves as “very happy.”
cine, the lifespan of the av- tomed at age 49, which But given the variables among people’s experi-
erage adult has increased by is also when stress and
more than a decade and will anxiety peaked. ences, it is impossible to meaningfully apply the
probably expand even more curve found in large data sets to an individual. An
in years to come. If that isn’t In a paper Blanch- unhappy 60-year-old who was more content at 30
enough of a silver lining, jour- flower co-authored or 40 could find the conclusions irrelevant. The U-
nalist Jonathan Rauch offers with British colleague curve, Rauch cautions, “is not an inevitability; it’s
even more good news about ag- Andrew Oswald, they a tendency.” But it’s a tendency that drives the 218
ing in his book “The Happiness wrote: “We show that pages of text, which become somewhat redundant
Curve: Why Life Gets Better Af- wellbeing reaches its once the curve is substantially established. Similar-
ter 50.” minimum around the ly, interviews Rauch conducted, sprinkled through-
middle of life. The out the book, sometimes detract from the far more
The optimistic, breezy ti- compelling scholarship. Many of the interviewees
tle could easily be dismissed regularity is intrigu- are introduced by only a first name and occupation
as wishful thinking. However, ing. The U shape is that serve to underscore their obscurity. At times
Rauch’s rosy projection is based similar for males Rauch chronicles the trajectory of his own life, pre-
less on new-age optimism than a and females, and for sumably to show that it tracks with the book’s cen-
review of a series of multi-coun- each side of the At- tral premise.
try, big-data studies on happi- lantic Ocean.” Anal-
ness conducted over the past few ysis of the Gallup “In my own forties,” he writes, “my life satisfaction
decades. The findings by scholars was low, and much lower than I thought it should
from a range of disciplines consis- World Poll of 99 per- be.” Like the other personal stories, the reflection
tently show that life satisfaction is cent of the world’s seems immaterial given the range of experiences
U-shaped, with contentment high adult population that contribute to one’s personal contentment at
in the 20s, plunging at mid-age between 2010 and a given age. The utility of the anecdotes is further
and taking a turn for the better af- 2012 also showed undermined by Rauch himself, who writes that the
ter 50. that people got happiness curve “shows up more clearly and consis-
happier over time. tently after filtering out people’s life circumstances
The ample scholarship on the “happiness curve” In a study of the data of 1 million Brit- than before.” For instance, while unemployment
debunks many long-standing beliefs about aging ons between the ages of 16 and 70, scholars found substantially affects life satisfaction, Blanchflower
and happiness and shows that contrary to being over that the probability of depression peaked in the mid- and Oswald found that going from age 20 to 45 “de-
the hill, people over 50 are generally happier than 40s. In yet another study of two states in the United creases life satisfaction by about a third as much as
they were during their 30s and 40s. States, the highest probability of consuming anti- becoming unemployed.” And the World Values Sur-
depressants occurred between ages 45 and 49. So, vey, which polls people in 150 countries about their
For example, the Office of National Statistics in contrary to popular perceptions, depression is less life satisfaction, found that social interaction was
England surveyed more than 300,000 people of dif- common among the elderly than the middle-aged. among the factors that most contributed to wellbe-
ferent ages in 2014 and 2015 and asked, “Overall, And the U is not unique to humans; it is also found ing.
how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?” Like in apes, according to a 2012 study by Oswald; Alex
other studies cited by Rauch, the results showed that Weis, a comparative psychologist; and several col- The strength of the book, then, is less the personal
life satisfaction was high between 20 and 34 and hit laborators. The study, “Evidence for a Midlife Crisis anecdotes than what appears to be overwhelming evi-
its lowest point around 49 or 50, then began to rise, in Great Apes Consistent with the U-Shape in Hu- dence of a happiness curve after 50 that could inspire
peaking in the mid-60s. man Wellbeing,” says the U “may lie partly in the bi- a societal reassessment of later-life planning. 
ology we share with closely related great apes.”
Similarly, research on data sets from 37 countries Not all of the research cited by Rauch is surprising. THE HAPPINESS CURVE
by David Blanchflower, a Dartmouth College eco- Research on wisdom, for example, suggests its cor-
nomics professor, found the same U in response to relation with age, and in the United States, people in WHY LIFE GETS BETTER AFTER 50
the question “If you were to consider your life in gen- the highest income group were found to be almost
eral, how happy or unhappy would you say you are, twice as likely as people in the lowest group to de- BY JONATHAN RAUCH | 244 PP. $26.99
on the whole.” In another data set of 305,000 people REVIEW BY PAMELA NEWKIRK, THE WASHINGTON POST

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 41

INSIGHT BRIDGE

MORE INSTRUCTION ON DECLARER-PLAY WEST NORTH EAST
K974 5 J 10 6 3
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist QJ94 76532 AK
3 AQ92 765
Another good book is “Six Steps to Winning Declarer Play” by Jay Apfelbaum (Master QJ52 K97 10 6 4 3
Point Press). It is purportedly aimed at intermediate players, but these 52 declarer-play
problems would really tax my intermediate students; even the better players would trip SOUTH
up occasionally. AQ82
10 8
The analysis of each deal is comprehensive. The author advises that declarer always ask K J 10 8 4
himself six questions: How many tricks can I take right now? How many tricks can the A8
defense take right now? Where can I get more tricks? Where can the defense get more
tricks? How many tricks do I need for a good score? (More relevant in a pair event, Dealer: South; Vulnerable: North-South
where overtricks can be so valuable.) What is the best way to play the contract?
The Bidding:
Apply those to this deal from the book. South is in five diamonds, and West leads his
trump. SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 Diamonds Dbl. 1 Hearts 1 Spades
Note that three no-trump makes only if West leads a spade. 1 NT Pass 3 Diamonds Pass LEAD:
3 Spades Pass 5 Diamonds All Pass 3 Diamonds
Now let’s answer Apfelbaum’s questions. South has eight top tricks. The defenders have
two. There are three ways to try for extra tricks: establish hearts, take a winning spade
finesse or ruff spades on the board. The defense will triumph if declarer does not or
cannot find a successful line. To score well, South needs to get home.

It should be clear from the bidding that ruffing spades on the board is the best line. Win
the first trick in hand, cash the spade ace, ruff a spade, play a club to the ace, ruff a
second spade, cash the club king, ruff dummy’s last club and trump the spade queen.
South wins one spade, two clubs, five diamonds in hand and three ruffs in the dummy.

42 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (MAY 10) ON PAGE 62

ACROSS DOWN
1 Of an ancient civilisation (5) 2 Lazed (5)
4 Supernatural cave-dweller (5) 2 Dog (6,7)
8 -- plate; poetic -- (7) 3 Completely perplex (7)
9 Maritime (5) 4 Destined life partner (3,3)
10 Residence (8-5) 5 Admit; confess (3,2)
11 Demand (6) 6 Bond film (4,3,3,3)
12 Of poor quality (6) 7 Drowsy (6)
15 Early computer game (5,8) 11 Points in dispute (6)
18 Banishment (5) 13 Make cheerful (7)
19 Bullfighter (7) 14 Nail polish (6)
20 Faithful (5) 16 Adversary (5)
21 Poor (5) 17 Gruff (5)

The Telegraph

How to do Sudoku:

Fill in the grid so the
numbers one through
nine appear just once
in every column, row
and three-by-three
square.

The Telegraph

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 43

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS protector 4 Compare years!” The Washington Post
1 Part of a journey 73 Kings of Spain 5 Leaped (at) 69 Cheshire cat’s
4 Napoleon’s 74 Slangy money 6 Showed respect
76 Singer’s effect 7 Tennis-play edge leftover
island getaway 79 Was in the 8 Country address, 72 Bay city
8 Like wintry 75 Nationality
vanguard for short
weather 80 Haunters of the 9 Loser ending
11 Mongolia’s 10 Teapot Dome 77 Brownish-gray
Himalayas 78 Path opening?
capital, ___ Bator 81 Hoofer’s clicker scandal’s state 80 Source of
(the old spelling) 84 Building wing 11 Without much
15 Mauna ___ 85 Majestic African Christmas
18 Lizzie’s weapon 87 Of mice thinking warmth
19 Part of QED 88 “Whadja say?” 12 Egg size: abbr. 82 Like today’s
20 Kites bought in 89 Scheming 13 Stopped fasting tellers
Detroit? 90 Finishes a kite? 14 Presider over 83 Calling cost
23 Finished first 93 Palindromic 86 Says, “Aren’t you
24 Relaxes with Greek expected
kites? name contests somewhere?”
26 Hiking heading: 94 “Robot” coiner 15 Slow, in music 87 Word with paper
abbr. 95 Tunesmith 16 Judge’s or pepper
27 Booster rocket insistence 91 “You’re wrong,”
28 Dodge model Harold 17 Favorable in the sticks
29 Lauder of 96 ___ the possession 92 Watercolor
cosmetics 21 Traveler’s stop exhibit, e.g.
30 Deserved barrelhead 22 Romantic 93 Columbus
32 Ms. Garr 98 Like a kite adventure story campus, for short
34 Workout haven 101 Dawn goddess 25 Basic qualities 94 A major, for one
37 Civil wrong 102 “Aw, ___ never 31 Addams Family 96 Witch cliques
38 Declaimed cousin 97 In ___ (sort of)
39 Omdurman’s work” 33 Correct 98 Start of many a
country 103 Court challenge? 35 Stage Confucianism
40 Chuckling 104 Olivia’s frequent paraphernalia 99 “... is what ___
Muppet 36 A year in France in the papers”
42 Mickey and co-star 39 Famed 100 Sheepskin
Minnie’s “dad” 106 Sardine gatekeeper clutchers
43 What kite fans 41 Sikorsky and 103 Italian commune
bring? containers Stravinsky 105 False testimony
45 Yakety-yak 108 Pointed arch 43 Conductor 107 Conditional word,
48 Airport monitor 110 Hecatomb Caldwell to Snuffy Smith
abbr. 44 Up 109 Take quickly
49 Peeved causer 45 Lost, like a kite? 112 Hush-hush org.
51 Blood I.D. 111 What an 46 Staggering 113 Jazz job
52 Rough stuff 47 Convy and Parks 114 Chem. ending
53 Brief thing? overabundance 49 Hospital ward, for
54 Eschews apathy of kiters may short FLIGHTS OF FANCY By Merl Reagle
55 Bush found in cause, 50 Drug agent:
Florida grass-wise? slang BRADLEY H. REINER, DMD
57 More placid 115 Call ___ day 55 Kidded
59 Painter who 116 Was illustrated, 56 New Haven HAGEN V. HASTINGS, DMD
inspired kitewise? alumni
Sondheim 117 Blyth and 58 Ancient Persian Family, Cosmetic & Laser Dentistry
61 ___ eclipse Sheridan Gulf kingdom Caring Dentistry for the Entire Family
63 December 118 Hair holder 60 Water pitcher
hazard 119 Goes overboard, 61 ___ terrier
64 Harbor a beef slangily 62 1970 Bronson
66 Advice to would- 120 Type of palm thriller, ___ the
be hobbyists? 121 Have obligations Rain
70 Hole-punching 122 Litmus-test result 64 Relief pitcher
tools 123 White House stats
71 Knight’s head monogram 65 Songbird’s forte
DOWN 67 Alice, all mixed
1 Blade-cutting up
blades, perhaps 68 “___ a million
2 Clear of charges
3 Simple kite
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44 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

Mom has trouble confronting her feelings of dread

BY CAROLYN HAX those battles, then that’s where you start.
Washington Post If you’re starting over, then tell your primary-care

Hi, Carolyn: physician about the dark thoughts you’re having
and how they affect daily life. Enlist his or her help
I am 49 and live with my hus- in a diagnosis and treatment plan.

band and 5-year-old son. We just That you’ve found your way to happiness through
depression, addiction and infertility says you have
bought our first house, and we’re the health savvy and emotional stamina to take this
on (with some to spare for the rest of us!). Think of
doing well. I have battled addiction this next phase as training to maintain the beautiful
things you’ve built.
and depression in the past. I still do,
Dear Carolyn: My sister thinks that if I confide in
but I feel I have it under control. My husband is semi- her, then my confidences are no secret to her husband.
He is a nice guy, but I don’t particularly WANT my in-
retired at 50, and I’ll be working in the local schools nermost secrets known to my brother-in-law. I’ve told
her this to no effect. I have nobody else I can talk to
soon. We are not hurting financially. Our son is ad- about things that bother me. Do I have to stop talking
to my sister about my deepest feelings?
opted after many years of trying to have our own. He is
– Lonely Sister
everything to us.
Lonely Sister: Regrettably, yes. Or you have to
So why do I feel like the other shoe is about to drop? I accept that her husband will know everything. So
which do you want more: a confidante or confiden-
have everything I’ve always thought I wanted, and yet tiality?

I worry daily that something horrible will happen to Of course you want both, but your sister’s stub-
bornness rules that out, which is her call but, again,
my husband or son. I’ve imagined every possible way regrettable. So choose one and don’t torment your-
self with what-ifs.
they could die. I know this is the happiest I’ve ever been
And please consider, long term, cultivating more
and yet feel like it’s only a matter of time before it all relationships you can count on. 

goes away. Why can’t I just enjoy my life and not be so This can feel less bearable the more we have to
lose.
damn fretful?
It takes some mental conditioning, but we can
– Nervous Nelly use our understanding of change to train our minds
to appreciate where we are and what we control.
Nervous Nelly: The tough part about such dread
is that some of it is rational. Healthy, even … in fact, Yet when an awareness of impermanence swells
it’s the engine driving the whole concept of living in into preoccupying death visions of the people you
the moment, the very one you’re trying so hard to love most, it goes beyond mental retraining or self-
embrace. flagellation for not enjoying your life as you think
you’re supposed to. It’s time to treat it as no less a
Life is cyclical. Your ups will be followed by downs. health issue than addiction or depression.
The whole reason we’re supposed to be mindful of
now is the unreliability of later. If you still have access to a care network from

VERO SURGEON FIXES SIGHT
FOR SORE EYES IN MEXICO

46 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Vero surgeon fixes sight for sore eyes in Mexico

BY TOM LLOYD Montemorelos in northeast Mexico,
Staff Writer it isn’t to relax in the sun with a drink
in hand, but rather to teach, mentor
If luxury travel is your thing, don’t and advise medical students at the
even think about taking your next “va- Vision Institute Hospital La Carlota
cation” with Vero Beach’s Dr. Robert and to perform sorely needed eye
Reinauer, a fellowship-trained vitreo- surgeries.
retinal surgeon.
And “sorely needed” is something of
When Reinauer packs his bags – of- an understatement.
ten brimming with medical supplies
– and travels some 1,500 miles to According to the World Health Or-
ganization, some 300,000 cases of

From left: Dr. Aaron Pittard, Dr. Avery Rush, Dr. Ryan Rush, Dr. Alan McCarty and Dr. Robert Reinauer.

Dr. Robert Reinauer performing
surgery on a patient in Mexico.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 47

The masses of people waiting for care. HEALTH

cataracts are diagnosed each year in Tate and David O’Brien. About the only things he brings with
Mexico, while many times that num- New Vision donates needed medi- him on these missions are his skills,
ber go undiagnosed. his donated medical supplies, a surgi-
cal supplies to the missions, which cal support staff and – as anyone who
Meanwhile, 16 percent of Mexico’s is a big help since Reinauer and the knows this soft-spoken Texan is prob-
adult population has diabetes – the other physicians pay their own way. ably aware – a collection of outlandish
highest percentage of any country in And more. socks that are his trademark.
the world – and 9 million people in the
country have lost their sight due to di- “The people who go with us,” Rein- Dr. Robert Reinauer is with New Vi-
abetic retinopathy, which the U.S. Na- auer explains, “like my surgical tech- sion Center at 1055 37th Place in Vero
tional Eye Institute says “affects blood nician and scrub nurses, they all go for Beach, directly across from the Indian
vessels in the light-sensitive retina no cost. Doctors pay for everything, River Medical Center. The phone num-
that lines the back of the eye.” because we figure they’re giving up ber is 772-257-8700.
their vacation and they’re going to
Add diabetic macular edema and work to help us.” For more information on the Christian
glaucoma to the mix, and the picture Ophthalmologic Surgical Network, go to
gets even worse. So, don’t bet on “champagne wishes http://www.choseneyemission.com. 
and caviar dreams” on a Reinauer “va-
Which probably is why Reinauer, a cation.”
small-town guy from Hereford, Texas,
about 700 miles north of the Mexican
border, takes these training and sur-
gery trips with four to five other eye
surgeons for the Christian Ophthal-
mologic Surgical Network.

Reinauer says he and the other
traveling doctors are trying to bring
the latest techniques in eye surgeries
to our neighbors south of the border.

The Vision Institute Hospital La Car-
lota in Montemorelos “has one of the
best [ophthalmologic] residency pro-
grams in Mexico,” according to Rein-
auer, so he and his fellow surgeons are
not performing operations “in some
tent in the jungle.”

But the schedule can be grueling.
As Reinauer explains, “We’ve op-
erated from 8 a.m. until 10 at night.
We just keep going as long as the pa-
tients keep coming. It’s hit or miss as
to when patients arrive, because their
bus can get stuck or break down, so
they may not show up that day and
then the next day we have everybody
show up.”
One a week-long trip in March, Rein-
auer and his colleagues performed an
astonishing 600 eye surgeries, and he
plans to go back again this summer to
do more sight-saving operations.
“I feel very blessed to do what I do,”
he says. “I feel very blessed that I have
the skills that I have.”
He’s also thankful for the help and
support of New Vision’s founder, Dr.
Paul Minotty, and other New Vision
colleagues, including Drs. Stephen

48 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Mediterranean diet cuts older adults’ risk of ‘frailty’

BY MARIA CANFIELD studies that support the numerous • Whole grains such as whole wheat, Colleen Symanski.
Correspondent health benefits of embracing a Mediter- oats, barley, buckwheat, corn and
ranean diet. brown rice PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE
A new study from the University
College London in the United King- Dr. Kate Walters, joint study leader • Olive oil as the main source of di- its anti-frailty benefit, the Mediter-
dom suggests that older adults can re- and director of the Centre for Ageing etary fat, along with olives, avocados ranean diet is linked to good heart
duce their risk of frailty by following and Population Studies at University and avocado oil heath, protection against stroke, and
a Mediterranean diet, helping them College London, says the evidence of prevention of diabetes. Moderation in
stay independent as they age. reduced frailty is consistent: “People • Cheese and yogurt as the main the amount of food consumed is rec-
who followed a Mediterranean diet dairy foods, including Greek yogurt ommended, as the diet does have a
While frailty may seem like a vague the most were overall less than half high fat content.
term, it has a specific meaning in ge- as likely to become frail over a nearly • Moderate amounts of fish and
riatric medicine: it is a progressive four-year period compared with those poultry, such as chicken, duck, turkey, By all accounts, the Mediterranean
decline in multiple body systems that who followed it the least.” salmon, sardines and oysters diet should be paired with an active
increases the risk for serious illness, lifestyle for the best results.
falls, fractures, dementia and prema- The Mediterranean diet was first • Moderate amount of eggs, includ-
ture death. Frailty is also associated defined by researchers in the 1960s. It ing chicken, quail and duck eggs The U.K. research was published in
with low energy levels and a dimin- draws on the healthy eating habits of the Journal of American Geriatrics So-
ished quality of life. people from a number of different re- • Very limited red meats ciety. The analysis pooled results from
gions, including Crete, Greece, Spain, • Very limited sweets. And no sweet- studies in France, Spain, Italy and China
The researchers reached their con- southern France, Portugal and Italy. ened drinks at all. that included nearly 5,800 participants.
clusion after analyzing data from previ- While water is specified as the main
ously-published studies that compared As defined by WebMD, the Mediter- beverage of the Mediterranean diet, the Symanski’s advice to the commu-
the incidence of frailty in older adults ranean diet is characterized by: lifestyle does include one glass of wine nity, which goes beyond the benefits of
with the type of diet they followed. per day. Vero’s Colleen Symanski says, a Mediterranean diet: “Eat more foods
• High quantities of vegetables, such “Red wine is more closely associated closer to their natural source, such as
Colleen Symanski, co-owner of A as tomatoes, kale, broccoli, spinach, with the Mediterranean diet than white vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fresh
Healthier Me, a health and fitness carrots, cucumbers and onions wine, as red wine is made with the skins fruit. Enhance foods with herbs, spices
studio on the barrier island, is a regis- and seeds of the grape, which contain and olive oil while trying to limit table
tered nurse, health coach and certified • Fresh fruit, such as apples, banan- most of the healthy compounds.” salt and butter. Eat more meals with
diabetes educator. She’s familiar with as, figs, dates, grapes and melons Because it focuses on plant foods family and friends. Move your bodies
the U.K. study and says there are other and natural sources, the Mediterra- more, even if it’s in small increments of
• High consumption of legumes, nean diet contains valuable nutrients time. Get enough restful sleep; take a
beans, nuts, and seeds, such as almonds, such as healthy fats and fiber; it is also nap if you need to. Laugh more.”
walnuts, sunflower seeds and cashews low in sugar and has a high vitamin
and mineral content. In addition to A Healthier Me is located at 2855 Ocean
Drive, Suite C-2 in Vero Beach; Syman-
ski’s phone number is 772 231 5555. 

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 49

ON FAITH

‘Let’s not overlook the blessings God wants to give us all’

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT ers throughout the day, promising to
pay every worker what is right. He hires
Columnists some at nine, more at noon, still others
at three, and a final group at five, just an
Fairness is a highly subjective matter hour before the close of the work day,
isn’t it? As Rev. John Claypool once not-
ed, “Most of us never complain about Finally, at the end of the day, the own-
injustice when it falls in our favor. In er of the vineyard has his manager line
the game of poker, the player who has up all the workers to receive their pay,
four aces rarely calls for a re-deal. Do beginning with those who were hired
you ever remember someone in such a only an hour before the end of day.
situation saying, “Look, this really isn’t These late-comers are paid the full daily
fair. I have this incredible hand. Let’s wage of a denarius. Imagine how excited
reshuffle and start all over”? the workers who were hired first must
have been by that! They were probably
No, that isn’t how human nature downright gleeful, anticipating the hefty
works. If we wind up with the best hand bonus that was store for them, after hav-
of cards, the first place in line, or the big- ing put in a grueling 12-hour day. But
gest slice of the pie, we’re not likely to when those who had worked longest
protest or challenge the rules. But what and hardest are finally given their daily
happens when someone else is the re- pay, they too receive a day’s wage, one
cipient of good fortune and we are not? denarius. Needless to say, an uproar re-
Then we tend to scrutinize everything sults, as those who believed they were
with the sneaking suspicion that some- undervalued and underpaid cried, “un-
thing’s just not fair. fair!” To their complaints the vineyard
owner responds that he has wronged no
Jesus’ disciples were not so differ- one. He fulfilled every promise he made,
ent from us. Anxiety about being justly and has simply been especially gener-
treated and fairly rewarded certainly ous to some.
plagued them, too. So Jesus addressed
their concerns one day by telling them Well, if that little parable is supposed
a puzzling parable about a landowner to tell us something about our claims to
who hires laborers for his vineyard. Some fairness and rank and position, it chal-
he hires at the beginning of the day, tell- lenges more than a few assumptions,
ing them he will pay them a denarius doesn’t it? If the landowner represents
apiece, the average daily wage. Then the God, and we are all the workers, then
landowner continues to hire more work- maybe the parable is urging us to over-
come our envy of one another by giving
us a glimpse of God’s wider perspective
on our worth and what God’s ultimate
generosity to us will look like.

So in our scramble to tally up what is
due to us, to justify what we deserve, to
challenge the fairness of someone else’s
situation, let’s not overlook the bless-
ings God wants to give us all. God may
even now be calling us to come, whether
at daybreak, nine, noon, three or five,
to give us a wealth of grace and love in
quantities that are far more than fair. 

50 Vero Beach 32963 / May 17, 2018 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

The look of 2018? How to master The Dress Over Trousers

BY LISA ARMSTRONG gings? Japanese Kimono dress over In- fashion. Anyway, if you do remember, probably the trousers. If you’ve got the
The Telegraph dian dhoti? Conceptually, it’s all pos- you may be less than thrilled at the mix right, then they should automati-
sible. The Dress Over Trousers could D.O.T.’s revival. That’s because last time cally work with both.
In theory The Dress over Trousers turn out to be yet another contempo- round, dresses tended to be bulkier,
Look ought to win a Nobel Prize. What a rary take on the suit. and the only real trouser choice was Footwear should set off the ankle –
brilliant, non-binary bringing together skinny hipster jeans. It all looked a bit of there needs to be some skin exposure
of Feminine and Masculine, Stepford In practice however, The Dress Over a fudge – the kind of thing you chucked otherwise things can look heavy and
Wife and Navvy, Edwardian Lady and Trousers can look an unholy mess, as if on at 7.45 a.m. because you needed to shrouded. 7/8th length trousers, with a
Cowboy, Prom Queen and Domina- you started out with one idea and got in- get the kids into the car and you could subtle kick flare will do just that.
trix, depending on which particular terrupted half way through. always finesse your clothes later, once
combination and culture clash you go you got to the office. If you’re going with a slightly cropped
for in your dress-trouser juxtaposition. But the D.O.T. is catching fire this leg, what’s the optimum length dress? In
If you want to get all sociological about spring. Given how damp it is out there, it Now though, it’s sleek and fresh. There fact, length isn’t as key as fabric weight.
it, you could say this is us seamlessly may be the only thing that does. are so many options – dress and trousers Unless you’re aiming for a sweeping
embracing the multi-sexual, the multi- wise – we could be in the wardrobe han- red carpet D.O.T. (like the ones Emma
cultural and the pan-historical – all in Perhaps you’re old enough to re- gar of MGM, or maybe even Cheryl Cole. Watson and Diane Kruger pulled off),
one, unified outfit. member the D.O.T. trend from last keep the dress light – the longer it is, the
time round. And if you’re 20, you’re old You want slinky palazzos? Patterned lighter it should be. In the end though,
What could be more LGBTQ +++? enough – welcome to the grown-up pyjamas? Seventies flares? Skinny black experimentation, a mirror and maybe
Frothy tea dress over Latex skinnies? world, where trends come round faster leather? Slouchy tan suedes (and micro an honest broker are what’s needed: the
Stretchy weather-girl frock over leg- and faster, and each repetition adds an- suedes)? Tick, tick, tick. rules can’t be hard or fast.
other smear of scepticism to your other-
wise sunny, open-hearted worldview of The other piece in the jigsaw is the If trial and error sound too much
dress. It should be fluid and filmy, raise like actual work and you’re wonder-
waisted (to elongate legs) or sans waist. ing whether the D.O.T. is worth the
Meticulously fitted won’t work. There bother, I think this time it really might
should be a certain nonchalant, thrown be. For women who’ve stepped gin-
on air look to this, even if you agonized ... gerly around ruffles and asymmetric
A button through is ideal, so that you can hems, while nursing a secret yen to
choose how much trouser to reveal; a ki- wear them, pairing them with some
mono over trousers could, potentially, sleek, slim, dark trousers could be a
be your most glamorous, memorable – way to do it, while staying within their
and comfortable – style statement of the mood-zone. And for anyone who loves
season, or the year, but it would depend the idea of pastel colored capris – but
on how much movement the kimono al- not with their hips – layering a breezy
lowed for once you’d belted it. shirt-dress over the top might just be
the necessary bridge.
Ifs, buts and provisos are part and
parcel of working out any outfit, but Then there’s the weather, which has
they’re further complicated in the a habit of knocking catwalk trends into
D.O.T. matrix. Should your shoes a shape that works for real life. Right
speak to the dress or the trousers? now, the D.O.T. seems an excellent real
Studying those who’ve gone before – life solution. 